Chief Delphi - The Invention Of The Century...

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Chief Delphi (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/index.php)

- Dean Kamen's Inventions (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35)

- - The Invention Of The Century... (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40445)

Bill_Hancoc

12-11-2005 09:45

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Not to be vulgar or anything else of the sort but a comdem. It protects against HIV and other STD's and needs no manual. can immediatly be in be used on a person of any age.

ChuckDickerson

12-11-2005 10:33

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlavery

OK, the century is still young, and there are still a lot of things yet to be invented over the next 94 years, but this is definitely a biggie.

But rather than just let the cat out of the bag, it is time to don your thinking caps and do a little research.

- What has no moving parts, is completely disposable, and requires no power source?
- What will be of immediate use to over four billion people throughout the world?
- What can, for over a year at a time for a typical person, protect people from some of the most prolific killers on the planet?
- What can be manufactured and distributed by the millions, for a unit cost of around $2?
- What is so simple to use that it requires no written instructions, no manual, and no user training (it has been tested by people ranging from 8 months to 88 years old)?
- What was NOT invented by Dean, but gets directly at one of his biggest research topics?

I get to work with some of the most advanced - and frequently complicated - technologies on Earth. But every now and then, something so elegant comes along that it absolutely knocks you over - not with it's amazing complexity, but with pure, purpose-build simplicity. The invention I have just seen is one of those sort of things. It is simple. It is effective. It is affordable. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. I have had one for the last 48 hours, and it is just amazing (I got mine on Wednesday evening while having dinner with Katie Couric, but that is another story...)

Can you figure out what it is?

-dave

My guess is the LifeStraw. If correct and Dave has one then I assume they are currently available for sale. One of these should be packaged with every MRE distributed to disaster victims. After going through Katrina these things would have been welcomed. MRE + LifeStraw + Airdrop = Cheap Life Saver.

Conor Ryan

12-11-2005 10:58

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Ok so theres almost no doubt in my mind its a LifeStraw, saw one at church the other day and read the pamphlet about it. Its a great invention, thats already getting a lot of usage. Its great, cheap, effective, and its a real life saver. But its not perfect yet, it only has a 1 year life span before the filter wears out. However its a revolutionary idea.

Intresting fact: The life straw can be used as a desalinization tool. But it wears down its filter capacity from about 700 Liters over a year of usage to only 350 Liters.

phrontist

12-11-2005 15:07

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

What about the WaterCone? The LifeStraw uses Iodine and fabric filters, both of which would wear out quickly. This means it is essentially temporary and disposable. Furthermore, you can't consume iodine treated water long-term if memory serves. The WaterCone is cheaper per liter of water purified, lasts about 5 years, and produces truly pure water.

I'm voting WaterCone.

ahecht

12-11-2005 19:10

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Well, WaterCone only does 1.5L per day, which isn't that much in the sort of hot and sunny climate that you would need to use it. Slingshot would probably work longer than 5 years, and doesn't need the sun to be out.

Joe Matt

12-11-2005 20:26

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

if its that water purifier straw thing, then I shutter to think what Dave has been doing with his for the last two days :cO

So how long before we see a photoshopped pic of Dave with his head in the toilet taking a refreshing drink? :eek:

EricH

12-11-2005 21:21

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephM

So how long before we see a photoshopped pic of Dave with his head in the toilet taking a refreshing drink? :eek:

Wrong question!!!! (SOMEONE already has too many altered views of Dave and shouldn't need another...)

I think that it's that straw thing that people are talking about. Dave, could you tell us if we are right or wrong?

(another use: backpackers in the wilderness)

Adam Richards

13-11-2005 16:30

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephM

So how long before we see a photoshopped pic of Dave with his head in the toilet taking a refreshing drink? :eek:

Oh Heidi, we've got a new project for you! :D

Matt Krass

13-11-2005 20:50

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephM

So how long before we see a photoshopped pic of Dave with his head in the toilet taking a refreshing drink? :eek:

I think the real question is, when will we see a non-photoshopped pic of Dave with his head in the toilet taking a refreshing drink? ;)

Seriously though, I'm going with LifeStraw here...

Dan Petrovic

13-11-2005 21:04

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

<Comic relief>
A condom! Easy to use, mass produced, protects against the worlds most prolific killers, can be used by anyone (not exactly for it's real purpose), but that reusable for a year thing is kind of... ewww...
</comic relief>

Pat McCarthy

18-12-2005 11:03

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

I was reading through digg.com, and found something that could fit the bill of what Dave was hinting at.
http://asap.ap.org/stories/240474.s
It is an article about Dean's water purification machine. I'm not sure about the simplicity factor, but it's possible it is that simple.

Greg Needel

20-12-2005 15:13

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

While i agree that the lifestraw is amazing and will be very beneficial, it can't desalinize water. Since 97% of the earth is covered in salt water that defiantly would be a feature i would want to have in a portable water purification system.

Jessica Boucher

27-12-2005 10:50

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

I had a lot of time to think driving home from CT this weekend, and the thought smacked me over the head...

...why on earth would Katie Couric be at a dinner about a water purification device?

The only logical explanation would be that the media will be doing a piece on it in the near future. Recent news stories about Katie's Today Show contract coming up and her future plans have shed some light on Katie's changing career preferences: although the offer she is receiving for anchoring the CBS Evening News is much less than Today, it would allow her much more family time, which shows a strong desire for Katie to spend as much time with her daughters as possible. Hand in hand with her extremely focused philanthropic efforts toward cancer research (after losing her husband and sister to different forms of cancer), this leaves very little time for something that was not related to something she already does.

I'm not sure about the lead time concerning news stories, but it's certainly something to think about.

ggoldman

04-01-2006 15:05

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

I foudn this while checking a gadget blog....

Purifier

is this what you had in mind Dave??

On a side note.....I have made a purchase at Krispy Cream of about 30 dozen donoughts at one time...filled the back seat of a cavalier...and have the receipt to prove it:)

-Gabe Goldman

Zach Purser

04-01-2006 15:31

Re: The Invention Of The Century...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlavery

- What has no moving parts, is completely disposable, and requires no power source?
- What will be of immediate use to over four billion people throughout the world?
- What can, for over a year at a time for a typical person, protect people from some of the most prolific killers on the planet?
- What can be manufactured and distributed by the millions, for a unit cost of around $2?
- What is so simple to use that it requires no written instructions, no manual, and no user training (it has been tested by people ranging from 8 months to 88 years old)?
- What was NOT invented by Dean, but gets directly at one of his biggest research topics?

I get to work with some of the most advanced - and frequently complicated - technologies on Earth. But every now and then, something so elegant comes along that it absolutely knocks you over - not with it's amazing complexity, but with pure, purpose-build simplicity. The invention I have just seen is one of those sort of things. It is simple. It is effective. It is affordable. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. I have had one for the last 48 hours, and it is just amazing (I got mine on Wednesday evening while having dinner with Katie Couric, but that is another story...)

Can you figure out what it is?

-dave

Did someone finally give Dave a bar of soap?

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