Elizabeth Dougherty from the U.S. Office of Patents and Trademarks walked the audience through the process of filing a patent, and with help from the audience, stressed that anyone can be an inventor.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
The two-day event featured interviews with inventors about their projects and their processes. Pictured are Jeff Brodie (left) deputy director for the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Xavier Carnegie (right), Living History Theatre creative director, interviewing Rory Cooper (middle) about his work on wheelchair design.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
File this under noble pursuits: Wrigley’s talked about figuring out how to make chewing gum with longer lasting flavor.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
These blocks have a layer of insulation meant to improve a building’s thermal performance.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Also on the candy front, Mars Chocolate talked about patenting chocolate flavors and making a white chocolate that’s more preferable to even those who aren’t big fans.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Kansas State University used plenty of props to explain it hydrogel, which is made of proteins and can go from liquid to gel in seconds based on pressure applied. It can be used for many purposes including cell therapy, sustained release, vaccine development, 3D cell culture, and more.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
The USDA developed peppers with very specific traits, like the Lil’ Pumpkin which has black leaves, is small, and orange. Asexually reproduced plants can be patented.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
This lower body exoskeleton from the University of Houston is powered through brain waves.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Inventor Paul Schmitt talked about improvements in skateboard design, and brought a collection of skateboards dating back to the 1950s.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
NASA talked about the tech, like hydration systems, that help not only astronauts in space, but adventurers headed to extreme places like Mount Everest. Here’s a suit used for an Everest expedition.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Virginia Commonwealth University has been working on these devices, which help babies who were born with disabilities learn to crawl.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Zugara’s augmented reality technology lets users try on clothes using gesture recognition, a Microsoft Kinect sensor, and a small camera.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
WiperFill was the 9th millionth patent issued by the US Patent Office. It’s a system to use rainwater to replenish a car’s wiper fluid reservoir.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Students from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam devised a way to keep intruders out by sliding a metal piece over a door’s pivot hinge. They were troubled by the frequency of school shootings and decide to tackle the problem of keeping safe themselves.
SEE: Smithsonian Innovation Festival: 10 projects changing humanity’s future
Erin Carson is a Staff Reporter for CNET and a former Multimedia Editor for TechRepublic.
