Gabriel Recchia's ideas: (click suns to rate or comment on ideas)
| 1 |
| What about a computer program that uses voice recognition to control the mouse pointer, perform common computer functions, and surf the web, for people who cannot use their hands or have carpal tunnel syndrome? | |
| 2 |
| To make text files smaller, file compression utilities could include a pre-stored database of English words mapped to two-byte codes. Therefore, every word in this sentence could be swapped with a two-character code like "&@". Much smaller! | |
| 3 |
| The latest research shows that a 30%-40% decrease in caloric intake increases monkey lifespans by 30%-40%. Experiments should be done gauging what effect calorie restriction has on mental capabilities, energy, etc to see if feasible for humans. | |
| 4 |
| Toaster ovens should have a replaceable wire in them that melts at extremely high temperature to cut the power, like a fuse. This could prevent oven fires from getting out of hand. (appliances) | |
| 5 |
| In colleges, create a service organization of computer-savvy students who volunteer to help nonprofits create webpages, teach computer skills to underpriveleged children or the elderly, etc. | |
| 6 |
| Put photo ID on credit cards like they do in Europe. | |
| 7 |
| For curricula that require learning by small group work, try "jigsawing"--pairing up groups that understand the material with those that don't, so that the former can 'teach' the concept to the latter. | |
| 8 |
| "New Face in the Crowd" program: Counselors could team up student aids with selected freshmen to help them get adjusted to high school, make friends, join activities, etc. | |
| 9 |
| My college's Disability Resource Center scans in and auto-converts books to Braille, but math/economics/chemistry books must be entered by hand because the scanning software can't "read" the formulas. Software capable of this would be immensely helpful. | |
| 10 |
| Honda recently added speech recognition to some vehicles so drivers can control their CD players, A/C, etc. hands-free. This has been combined with a GPS system, making it convenient to get directions while on the road. (driving, cars) | |
| 11 |
| Place to register online if your laptop is stolen. If you are in this registry, associated software on your computer sends out a 'distress signal' over the internet with the IP address, screen name, & ISP of the thief the moment he gets online. | |
| 12 |
| There are so many lists of things to memorize in college & high school; I would find an 'Encyclopedia of Mnemonics and Memory Aids' extremely useful. | |
| 13 |
| When I study for exams, it's tedious and wasteful to make flashcards from index cards. Someone could write a computer program that displays user-defined flashcards, keeps track of your score, and drills you on flashcards you miss often. | |
| 14 |
| To allow blind individuals to use computers or graphing calculators, an adapter could be developed that represents the data on the screen in a tactile format. | |
| 15 |
| There are so many scholarship databases for college students looking for financial aid: Fastweb, Fund Finder, SRN, etc. Someone should unify these in one database to make it easier on students. | |
| 16 |
| For beginners to the ancient art of origami, I'd like to see an animated tutorial that doesn't move at light speed and includes every step and fold. | |
| 17 |
| To promote a cause, organize a "service day" on which thousands donate volunteer hours in the name of a cause. Examples: servicedayforkerry.org and mlkday.org. | |
| 18 |
| Write a math book for teens written in a teenage style that shows actual applications for trig, calculus, imaginary numbers and other subjects typically deemed worthless by teenagers. | |
| 19 |
| The government should start a program to make electric cars as powerful as today's autos. Though it would be costly in the short term, it would boost the economy by ending our dependence on foreign oil and securing this technology for the country. | |
| 20 |
| On some internet messageboards, it's hard to tell which replies match with which posts, making it difficult to follow a thread (conversation). I'd like to see a utility that standardizes this and makes it easy. | |
| 21 |
| I would like to see a tool for three-dimensional artists/modelers that uses SONAR to map the 3d coordinates of real-life objects. Such a tool could be made relatively inexpensively for amateurs. | |
| 22 |
| Disruptive students get expelled and fall through the cracks. I suggest an alternative high school for these students, run by special counselors. Example. | |
| 23 |
| Initiatives like Mindpixel, Cyc & Open Mind (MIT) that collect common sense data to develop "intelligent" software should be more interactive--more fun for users to input facts--and more structure in the resulting data. | |
| 24 |
| I love statistics, but have yet to find a comprehensive book that details relative probabilities of various everyday events and risks, and effective ways to apply statistics to real life. | |
| 25 |
| A modern day box social: In the old days women would bake baked goods, bring them covered in boxes, and men would bid on them like an auction. Today, it'd be better to bring "white elephant gifts," and bid with Monopoly money. | |
| 26 |
| In light of the current economic situation, I think an automated hotline in which people could call in at any time to hear their stocks' values read to them by computer could be a popular and profitable venture. | |
| 27 |
| Fortify a salad dressing with vitamin B12. It's one of the only vitamins you don't get by eating a salad, and it wouldn't noticeably affect the taste. | |
| 28 |
| Photomosaics (one large picture composed of many smaller ones) make great Christmas presents. PhotoTile, a program for creating these, is free for 60 days. | |
| 29 |
| FOX Family Made-for-TV-Movie Idea: An extremely short man who is an amazing shot in basketball never gets a chance to prove himself until he makes a half-court shot through a promotional contest and gets a contract with the pros. | |
| 30 |
| Consider installing a fire sprinkler in your home. In 2000, 85% of fires occurred in the home, resulting in 3,420 deaths; yet no fire has killed more than two people in a fully sprinklered facility. (appliances) | |
| 31 |
| When dealing with crisis situations, stay in "computer mode": Do not act emotional or shocked, and phrase personal questions in a general way (example question for a suicidal person: 'What are some ways that people hurt themselves?'). | |
| 32 |
| Most Americans throw away a lot of household garbage in the form of old food. Besides using old bananas for banana bread, don't forget that you can crumble stale bread for pie crusts or casserole toppings. Be creative! | |
| 33 |
| Parents and/or churches could send their college-attending students a care bag with things like writing utensils, staples, snacks, and anything else students are likely to need. | |
| 34 |
| Know what this world needs? A complete tuxedo for less than ten dollars. Its poor quality would be humorous at school proms and similar events. | |
| 35 |
| What if the bottom of your car seat also functioned as a flotation device, like in airplanes? No more worry about driving off bridges. Now *that's* convenience. | |
| 36 |
| Though I'm not the first to do so, I suggest a backup organization to assume temporary rule and reorganize the republic if a crisis ever plunged the country into anarchy. The backup gov't would step down once order was restored. | |