View Single Post
  #7   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-09-2006, 10:30
Alan Anderson's Avatar
Alan Anderson Alan Anderson is offline
Software Architect
FRC #0045 (TechnoKats)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Kokomo, Indiana
Posts: 9,113
Alan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond reputeAlan Anderson has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Article on Skin sensing table saw

Quote:
Originally Posted by KenWittlief
...Making a saw that will sense fingers may not be the best answer (the power tool companies seem to agree, or they would have jumped at the chance to buy his patent)...
the idea that engineers in the power tool industry care more about law suits than user safety is absurd, and down right insulting. If your invention is a good idea you dont need a plane full of lawyers to force people to implement.
It's people in the power tool industry who pointed out the liability aspects if this invention were to be widely adopted. They're not engineers, they're "liability experts". You can dismiss their idea as absurd if you want, but the explanation seems entirely plausible to me.

Whether or not a flesh-sensing saw blade is the "best" answer is not important. The problem at the moment is that table saw manufacturers are not obviously taking any steps to advance the technology of user safety. SawStop has a proven technology. The only compelling reason the manufacturers give for not licensing it is economic, and I don't blame them for balking at an 8% royalty demand.