Perpetual Innovation

Category: kickstarter

  • Chinese Hoverboard Booth Raided by US Marshals at CES – Patent enforcement

    Chinese Hoverboard Booth Raided by U.S. Marshals at CES | Watch the video – Yahoo Finance:

    Also, there’s a better story and another video on Bloomberg here.

    That’s very brazen. A Chinese knock-off shows up at a big gadget expo (Consumer Electronics expo) with samples of a single-wheel hoverboard that distinctly looks and functions like the Onewheel patented by Future Motion of California (inventor Kyle Doerksen). The Onewheel utility patent was already issued and this week a design patent was approved.

    Federal Marshals showed up to take the knock-offs off in handcuffs (so to speak).

    It is the responsibility of a patent owner to enforce patents. A willful infringer can be subject to treble damages (civil suit). But to really shut down a determined pirate, requires a diligent effort.

    To do this so quickly and so forcefully, requires some pretty impressive action on the part of Future Motion.

    Note the part that Alibaba, the Chinese answer to Amazon on steroids, plays in the infringement process. If you are buying a one-wheel for $500 but the real manufacture sells Onewheel at $1,500, you might be buying into something that is too good to be true.

    Note the part that Kickstarter played in launching this invention with a massively successful $630k campaign. See here.

    Note, lastly, that there appear to be quite a few patents within this space. (The Chinese company may have been infringing on dozens of patents, not just 2.)

    Well, time to go levitate.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • The Refractive Thinker Brain Teaser Game App by Dr. Cheryl Lentz — Kickstarter

    The Refractive Thinker Brain Teaser Game App by Dr. Cheryl Lentz — Kickstarter

    Interesting game idea. Having fun while you learn…

    Or just having fun, that can be okay too!:-)

    I think it would be cool to create RT Teasers for each volume of the Refractive thinker books. (maybe starting with the next one). I could see Profs using it with articles and books that students were (supposed) to read. Have a little fun with it. This isn’t really a question, just a comment.

    I hope this project makes the goal, ’cause I can’t wait to see it.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • Printeer – a 3D printer for kids & schools by Mission Street Manufacturing — Kickstarter

    Printeer – a 3D printer for kids & schools by Mission Street Manufacturing — Kickstarter:

    Educational version of a 3D printer. For the change in your pocket (provided you have $600 in your pocket).

    I like this quote: “We believe that kids are the most creative people on the planet.”

    The iPad app is used to design the 3D object and then print on the 3D printer. The printer is totally clear so you can see the whole printing process.

    I love it. I want one for me. Heck with the kids… The kids can go buy themselves one.

    Cool funding project on KickStarter. Already twice the $50k goal.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • BioLite BaseCamp Stove | Turn Fire into Electricity by BioLite — Kickstarter

    BioLite BaseCamp Stove | Turn Fire into Electricity by BioLite — Kickstarter:

    I love it. But only 62 hours to get in on the KickStarter offer. They are at twice goal with $800k+ and 3,000 backers.

    Yes, it was DARK in Miami, when Hurricane Andrew came through South Miami/Homestead on August 24, 1992. Well, afterwards really. It would be weeks before most of us would get power. So bar-b-q grilling was the norm. That was not quite as much fun after a week or two without baths and without air conditioning. Little or no ice and warm drinks. Muggy and humid.

    You did want to cook, obviously, but all the heat from the grill was the last thing we needed.

    But a really cool cooking stove popped up in New York. A tiny stove the burned wood (or charcoal) and produced focused head for cooking. No need to cook the cook too.

    This technology works wonders in countries where there is little or no electricity, and wood is often scarce, and the smoke from open cooking causes some of the world’s worst health issues (probably only exceeded by water/sanitation).

    You gotta see how far the technology has come. This is a BIG stove, relatively, that generates electricity (USB power) and has battery. It has an internal fan, to fan the fire so it can produce some serious heat possibilities — especially given the ability to focus the flame.

    This version comes with an LED light so you can see what’s cooking at night.

    As they say, this is the first version of the BaseCamp that is crowd designed. When you jump in on the crowd funding at KickStarter (BaseCamp) you will get a free carrying case.

    You also get the warm-fuzzy feeling of knowing that this technology will save millions and millions of lives in energy starved countries.

    All very very cool.

    Keywords: Crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, genius of crowds, kickstarter, invention, sustainability, renewable energy, health,
    ‘via Blog this’

  • Kickstarter CEO: 'Veronica Mars' proves 'the power of audiences' | Inside Movies | EW.com

    Kickstarter CEO: ‘Veronica Mars’ proves ‘the power of audiences’ | Inside Movies | EW.com:

    When you go to watch Veronica Mars, if you haven’t already done so…

    Think about this. It has been the greatest success for any movie launched by crowd funding!

    Capitalism at work by the masses. Very cool.

    They blasted through the goal of $2M and raised $5.7M from 91,000+ backers.

    Here is the YouTube Video teaser that they used to raise the money and to recruit MARShmellows to jump into the backer frenzy.

    Right now I can watch it on Xfinity for only $17.99.

    Gotta love it.

    ‘via Blog this’