Initial task # 1: invention creation
Every class member must prepare short descriptions of at least two (2) different inventions. Post them to the appropriate link on Canvas, via text box, prior to the listed due date. See the Assignments page for the upload link.
Your inventions should not be particularly technical, so no gene patents. Also, nothing magical that requires some unknown means, such as a time travel device. Instead, your inventions should be simply, silly, and fun inventions. Also, they cannot be anything you or anyone else might ever want to patent or otherwise monetize in the real world. This is for at least three very important reasons.
- First, we will discuss your inventions in class, and I will post information about them to the course website. As such, they could serve as prior art that may disqualify any invention from actual patenting.
- Second, this experience is educational, not representational. Each of us should be focusing on the learning experience and not on the emotional and financial stakes that arise with real-world inventions.
- Third, neither I nor your classmates can act as your lawyer. We cannot provide you or others with legal advice regarding any invention or innovation, and you should not take any discussion or feedback on the project to constitute legal advice.
Thus, to be clear, you may not submit for this project any inventions that you (or anybody else) might want to actually patent, maintain as a trade secret, or otherwise use or monetize. Should I find out you have violated this prohibition, it will severely and adversely impact your score for this project.
So here’s what you should do. Come up with ideas for a couple of simple, silly ideas, so long as they are products or processes that are likely to actually work. Then write short, one-paragraph descriptions of your two ideas. From your two submissions, I will select one invention to give to a classmate “lawyer” who will search prior art, prepare application materials, and write a memo.
It’s easy to create something silly and financially worthless that nevertheless works. An example is provided below based on my many years of experience as a “Rabbit Whisperer.”
My idea is a “Rabbity Chow-Saddle.” Rabbits love being swaddled and being gently squished by other bunnies, so I have invented a bunny snuggle chow saddle. The saddle is a soft body wrap that uses velcro straps and which has a fabric food bowl on top as the “saddle.” The body wrap gently hugs bunnies, making them feel safe. The food bowl can be filled with bunny kibble. The bowl with kibble encourages other bunnies to come close to the bunny wearing the chow saddle. Soon, the saddle-wearing bunny will be surrounded (and even covered) by happy, hungry bunnies. Once all the bunnies are clumped on top of one another, they will all feel happy and safe!!!
See? It took me only a few minutes to come up with this idea, and an hour or so of toying around with it to get it this far. You can easily do the same. Although the bunny chow saddle is a simple and rather silly invention, I have no doubt that my invention works (even without building a model). This is an example of how a simple invention might nevertheless provide a rich educational experience for somebody to do search prior art, draft an application, and write a memo!
Remember, don’t use any ideas you or somebody else may want to someday monetize. We’re not your lawyers, and some of your information may be publicly posted to this website. You have been warned!!
Revised Feb. 24, 2022