Kitchen Scales Redesigned

Prior to weighing anything on the kitchen scales, an empty container needs to be zero-reset to compensate for the containers weight.  When using different sized containers, you need to remember to reset every time you change a container sizes. E.g. You may need to weigh flower in high volumes where margin of error can be generous. On the other hand, spices, herbs, and other ingredients where a small inaccuracy can make a big difference, you need smaller containers. Problem is that once you reset them for a particular container, chances are you need to reset them again, and again, and frequently. This can be a major nuisance when cooking and sometimes you wish you had several scales that are set to a particular container you are using.



Lets make kitchen scales that eliminates the need to reset for differently sized containers. One way to execute this would be to use differently sized cups for different precision levels that fit in the notches of the scale bed and are zero-weighted for the specific cup size. All cups have measuring notches at corresponding size-scale (e.g. smaller the cup higher the precision). All cups also double as a volume measuring cups, cutting down on kitchen clutter. Multiple cup sizes will allow measuring at different volume precision and as with ordinary scales, no need to reset the display every time the container is changed. Another way to design this would be to have several preset buttons (numbered or color coded), that you would use to pre-set different third-party containers you would be using during cooking. Weigh the empty containers once, and assign a preset, just like the presets on your radio. Then recall the preset when placing a corresponding container. There can be "charms" corresponding the color of the preset that you can attach to the container in order to remember which preset it is set to. Yet another, more high tech solution would be to attach some kind of proximity stickers to the bottom of the bowl and pre-set them like this. Next time the bowl or a cup is placed on the scales, the scale will compensate for the weight difference set previously for that sensor. Additional features this product may include: Scales can be set to convert weights for different densities. The pre-weighted notches can be individually zeroed-out any time, including for a third party containers and measuring cups. All measuring cups are dishwasher washable.

You can add your influence to developing this product and earn profit from every sale.

Grilling in the Rain!

THE PROBLEM
So you've marinated the chicken, tenderized the sirloin, laid-out the veggies, and got your Stake ready for action! And then comes a huge rain drop, then another, and all of a sudden the sky opens up on top of your grill in a Summer shower. What do you do?

THE SOLUTION
You run for the cover, Literally! Grab Quirky's instant set-up and compact grilling tent with heat resistant fine-mesh netting on the sides for proper ventilation and heat resistant top and you feel like singing. You just defeated the nature! Works in a hot sun too!

You can add your influence to developing this product and earn profit from every sale.

Charge with Fire! - ThermoElectric Generator in light or dark from heat!

THE PROBLEM
Market is saturated with solar charging devices for outdoors & emergency use. And for good reason too - modern human needs an electric power when outdoors. Yet there aren't many products that generate power when you need it the most - in the darkness or bad weather. Enter the Thermoelectric Power! Take a small device out of the backpack, throw it in the fire and charge away! (well, you need a cooling source as well but read on). An easy to make, completely feasible, inexpensive device without any movable parts that generates a usable electric power from a fire! Gas stoves, grills, campfires, cooking fuel - virtually any heat source, even sun-heated surfaces. When camping or surviving an emergency, the first thing one sets-up is the fire. It is an essential survival element that most people will take care of as a first order of business. Heat from a campfire is abundant, yet vast majority of it is wasted and the light the campfire emits is not enough to get things dome in the dark like cooking, fishing, or even some reading. Dead batteries in a cellphone, radio, and flashlights are also an all too common problem outdoors. Sure you can charge your electronics in your car's lighter outlet (provided the car is nearby) but you would be wasting precious gasoline or risking running down the car battery.


THE SOLUTION
Thermoelectric effect was (http://bit.ly/FRtyHt) discovered centuries ago, but has mostly been overlooked in consumer electronics as a viable power source, possibly due to its low efficiency in harnessing the electricity. However thermoelectric power is currently being considered in a number of heat recovery applications in consumer electronics (e.g. harnessing car exhaust heat). You can read about thermoelectric effect elsewhere but without going into too much detail it works by converting temperature difference into electricity. You need a thermoelectric module - a thin metal plate which heats up on one side and cools on the other. Temperature difference excites electrons and moves it in one direction - creating a current. There are various prototype level products that are floating around the internet but not many commercialized products that I could find. I am proposing an universal charging unit that harnesses the wasted heat of campfire, fireplace fire, or even the heat used to boil a kettle. The charger will have a USB interface so that one can charge nearly any electronic device imaginable and even power an LED lantern real time - a much better light source than fire itself. Finally the device can be a cleverly thought out combination product that uses the cons of thermoelectric effect (need to cool down) to its advantage. Such product could be a water kettle that heats up from under and the water inside acts as a coolant creating the temperature difference. Until the temperatures equalize (water boils), the electricity will flow. Then rinse and repeat (ok, pun was intended). I am sure ingenious Quirky users will have some other great ideas of what this outdoor product will look like in the end. Lets design an outdoor product that gives us a power in the dark!

How To Be An Inventor

So you want to be an inventor. Very well but how do you start?

You have this brilliant invention, an idea, a product, or an improvement to an existing product but have no idea how to market it.

You have tried to contact various companies but you have not heard from them back. you are afraid that anyone you reveal your ideas to will steal them and profit from them.

You could patent your idea for tens of thousands of dollars or you can consider an alternative.

Quirky offers inventors to realize their inventions by developing them for you. Thousands of web users just like you will help you to develop your idea into a marketable product and even purchase them so that you can bring them to the market faster!

You can also help other inventors develop or improve their ideas and in return earn lifetime of profits when the product starts to retail. Your invention could end-up in Quirky's partner retailers Bed Bath & Beyond, target, Amazon.com and even Apple Store!

Check out Quirky by following this link to help bring your idea to life!

Electric Fan - 360° Cooling!

THE PROBLEM:

Conventional fans have an inherent design problem - they only blow air in one direction. This causes inefficient cooling of the surroundings as the air is blasted in one direction, creating often undesired breeze (e.g. papers thrown to the floor), too much cooling and quite a discomfort. Over the decades manufacturers tried to solve this problem by rotating the fan head but this strategy doesn't really solve the problem but rather masks it or barely improves on the static fan idea. That is why ceiling fans are so popular: while basically one directional, they cover a much larger area at a lower speed, also their fins are much larger and air does flow in more directions than one, creating a much better comfort than the floor or desktop fans. Would not it be great if you could emulate ceiling fan anywhere in your house or office?



THE SOLUTION:

The key feature of my versatile 360 degree fan is its ability to blow cool air in all directions as well as in any given direction. The fan has circular blades that will require less rotation speed to achieve the same degree of air circulation by efficiently spreading the cool air at virtually all directions at the same time. The adjustable inner screen that usually is rotated to the base can be positioned in a way that fan can also blow the air in one particular direction, if desired. In addition, the telescopic stand transforms this convenient electronic appliance into a centerpiece that complements your living room aesthetics.