Just Imagine KIDS’ WORLD of IDEAS REVEALS NO LIMITS
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InventorsAPRIL 2019 Volume 35 Issue 04 DIGEST Top Resources for Digital Marketing TAKING THE NEXT INVENTING STEP What is CES Really Like? A DAILY DIARY Just Imagine KIDS’ WORLD OF IDEAS REVEALS NO LIMITS $5.95 FULTON, MO MO FULTON, FULTON, PERMIT 38 38 PERMIT PERMIT US POSTAGE PAID PAID POSTAGE POSTAGE US US PRSRT STANDARD STANDARD PRSRT PRSRT Inventors EDITOR’S NOTE DIGEST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF REID CREAGER ART DIRECTOR CARRIE BOYD CONTRIBUTORS STEVE BRACHMANN ELIZABETH BREEDLOVE HOWIE BUSCH Future of Inventing? DON DEBELAK JACK LANDER We Should Think ‘Big’ JEREMY LOSAW GENE QUINN If you want to start a fun discussion, ask a group of people about their EDIE TOLCHIN favorite iconic movie scene. Chances are, someone will mention the “hill of beans” speech by GRAPHIC DESIGNER JORGE ZEGARRA Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca.” Maybe someone will bring up the quiet prayer by George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) at Martini’s INVENTORS DIGEST LLC Bar in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I’ve got an underrated one that would have to be in my top five. It’s the PUBLISHER department store scene in the 1988 movie “Big,” in which a prematurely LOUIS FOREMAN grown 12-year-old played by Tom Hanks dances on a lifesize floor piano to play a child’s song with his boss (Robert Loggia). VICE PRESIDENT, The scene by director Penny Marshall is possibly her signature stroke of INTERACTIVE AND WEB genius, a gleeful but poignant reminder of the magic of unfettered child- ELIZABETH BREEDLOVE hood joy. Hanks’s character amuses, befuddles and frustrates adults around him with his rapid ascent in the business world, which happens simply FINANCIAL CONTROLLER DEBBIE MUENCH because he is not jaded and sees none of the limitations that adults do. We need to keep our future inventors dancing. In many ways, they were SUBSCRIPTIONS made for it. LOURDES RODRIGUEZ Because children are so creative, they’re naturally more inventive. Their views of the world have not been fully formed, so they naturally want to © 2019 Inventors Digest, LLC. All rights reserved. Inventors explore more than adults. Their egos are not as threatened by failure. And Digest, LLC is a North Carolina limited liability company and is the publisher of Inventors Digest magazine. INVENTORS they don’t care what people think about their ideas—especially adults. DIGEST and INVENTORS’ DIGEST are trademarks of Inven- A study conducted several years ago by Darya Zabelina and Michael tors Digest, LLC. Reproduction or distribution of any materi- Robinson of North Dakota State University discusses the importance of als obtained in this publication without written permission is remaining naïve, and why physiological and social factors get in the way. expressly prohibited. The views, claims and opinions expressed They noted that the brain’s frontal cortex, the part responsible for rule- in article and advertisements herein are not necessarily those of Inventors Digest, LLC, its employees, agents or directors. This based behavior, isn’t fully formed until our teen years. This facilitates publication and any references to products or services are uninhibited thought. The other factor is adults’ fault: Too many current provided “as is” without any expressed or implied warranty educational programs either don’t promote creativity or discourage it or term of any kind. While effort is made to ensure accuracy altogether. in the content of the information presented herein, Inventors Digest, LLC is not responsible for any errors, misprints or mis- This month’s Inventors Digest celebrates the naivete and open-mindedness information. Any legal information contained herein is not to of children. It doesn’t matter whether their ideas are practical or can ever be construed as legal advice and is provided for entertainment come to market. What matters is that they and the rest of us keep dancing. or educational purposes only. Interested parties and inventors seeking legal advice should consult a lawyer. —Reid Ad rates, subscriptions & editorial content: ([email protected]) 520 Elliot Street Charlotte, NC 28202 [email protected] www.InventorsDigest.com [email protected] APRIL 2019 INVENTORS DIGEST 3 American innovation needs to hit the gym Weakened patent protections have reduced the value of American inventions. To strengthen American innovation, support the STRONGER Patents Act—legislation designed to restore strong Constitutional patent rights, limit unfair patent challenges, and end the diversion of USPTO fees. Make your voice heard now at SaveTheInventor.com Brought to you by the Innovation Alliance ContentsApril 2019 Volume 35 Issue 4 Feature InventorsAPRIL 2019 Volume 35 Issue 04 DIGEST Top Resources for Digital Marketing TAKING THE NEXT 28 Just Imagine INVENTING STEP What is CES Really Like? A DAILY DIARY Kids’ World of Ideas Just Reveals No Limits Imagine KIDS’ WORLD OF IDEAS REVEALS NO LIMITS 22 Inventor Spotlight 22 A New Kind of Well Heeled $5.95 FULTON, MO MO FULTON, FULTON, PERMIT 38 38 PERMIT PERMIT US POSTAGE PAID PAID POSTAGE POSTAGE US US PRSRT STANDARD PRSRT PRSRT STANDARD PRSRT Businesswoman’s Kickstands INV-vol 35-03-April-2019Final.indd 1 3/20/19 9:39 AM ON THE COVER 26 Precious Peace of Mind Children’s ideal Monitor for Baby Sleep invention ideas sent to The UK Domain; illustrations by Departments Roxana Antistescu 7 Everybody’s Talking Conversation Pieces 8 Bright Ideas Innovation That Shines 10 Time Tested Death By Inventing 14 Social Hour 32 Digital Marketing Resources 18 Lander Zone The Goldilocks Zone 20 To Market 36 The Name Game 32 Prototyping What is CES Really Like? 35 Inventing 101 Get Help But Keep Control 26 36 Patent Pending Justified Paranoia 39 Eye on Washington Amazon Admits to Fraud Risk; U.S. Cannabis Inventions Grow 46 Inventiveness Focus on the Fun and Fascinating APRIL 2019 INVENTORS DIGEST 5 TIME TESTED Glass Backboards: A Smashing Success BASKETBALL INNOVATION HAS EVOLVED IN ITS 100-PLUS YEARS BY REID CREAGER STRANGE LOT,this human race. We have evolved intellectually and culturally in quantum leaps Conner, glass backboards were introduced in 1909 Asince the beginning of time, yet we still thrill to but banned briefly in 1916 due to a rule requiring CORRESPONDENCE seeing stuff break. white paint on all backboards. When Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins The oft-unreliable Wikipedia is among numerous shattered a glass backboard with a slam dunk in an sources that report Indiana University was the first to NBA game 39 years ago this month, our pre-internet use glass blackboards, although the university denies mass media couldn’t replay it often enough. Dawkins’ that claim. Its school newspaper reported in early Chocolate Thunder destruction—his first of two 1917 of a December 1916 game at Purdue University such displays that season—was unthinkable when in which glass backboards were used. the first glass basketball backboards were introduced It is generally agreed that glass backboards in the early 1900s. emerged because fans who were seated directly behind wooden backboards were complaining their Letters and emails in reaction to new and older “Glass Backboards: No more breaking news view was blocked. According to the book “Basketball’s Most Wanted: There was a time when 625 lbs. of force could shatter The Top 10 Book of Hoops’ Outrageous Dunkers, a backboard—a testament to the 6-foot-11, 250-pound SHUTTERSTOCK / Incredible Buzzer-beaters, and Dawkins’ legendary strength. (Shaquille O’Neal became MCGIL Other Oddities” by Floyd the face of the next generation of backboard- TT breakers, but it was just more of the same.) SCO . W Inventors Digest stories you read in print or online A Smashing Success” © (responses may be edited for clarity and brevity): (November 2018): “Seeking a Licensee? Think Trade Shows” DD was the best – (March 2017): Chocolate Thunder!! 8 INVENTORS DIGEST INVENTORSDIGEST.COM —CHRIS MCGRORY INV-vol 34-11-November-2018Final.indd 8 10/19/18 10:55 AM Great and very helpful arti- InventorsMARCH 2017 Volume 33 Issue 03 DIGEST cle. However, could you Editor’s note: “DD” refers to the Philadelphia 76ers’ Darryl Dawkins, who Peach Baskets? Madness! HOW JAMES NAISMITH INVENTED BASKETBALL TRADE expound a bit more on the in 1979 shattered two glass backboards in three weeks with slam dunks— Home Scare Has an Upside JOURNEY OF A SHOWS SMART STOVE DEVICE MORE REASONS TO GET UP AND GO dos and don’ts of approach- leading to the innovation of breakaway rims. And though we strive for A Machine — an Abstract Idea? PTAB RULING A BLOW ing potential licensees at objectivity, when it came to the art of the monster jam there was no rival. TO PATENT ELIGIBILITY a trade show? For exam- ple, what’s the best initial CONTACT US approach, and when/how do $5.95 FULTON, MO FULTON, PERMIT 38 PERMIT US POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE US PRSRT STANDARD PRSRT you present your product? Letters: Online: INV-vol 33-03-March-2017Final.indd 1 2/19/17 4:41 PM Do you mention compe- Inventors Digest Via inventorsdigest.com, comment below tition? Do you keep a poker face, or be very vocal 520 Elliot Street the Leave a Reply notation at the bottom about how much you want to license your product? Charlotte, NC 28202 of stories. Or, send emails or other inquiries Last but not least, from a person (woman) who is to [email protected]. not in the business world, what attire is best? Professional or business casual? —STACEY ROBERTS THE CURSE OF FITZMAGIC? From the story’s author, Jack Lander: The Minkah Fitzpatrick had a mostly successful best initial approach is to walk into the rookie season as a safety for the Miami Dolphins, booth, ask for the director of market- but 2019 did not begin well for him.