One of the most disappointing things about cold winter days is all the ice you have to scrape off your car just to go to school/work/extra-curricular activities. Not only is this a pain for myself to do, but when I get on the road, I see many new, inexperienced drivers who are just too lazy to scrape more than two square centimeters off their windshield, which poses an immense safety risk to anyone driving.In order to decrease the happening of this, I propose a heated ice scraper. It wouldn't be heated by electrical use, as I'm aware of the dangers that the melted ice would have when combined with electricity. Rather, an exothermic process referred to as "slaking lime" would be used to generate the needed warmth.In the process of slaking lime, Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) is superheated, which causes it to release CO2 and Calcium Oxide (CaO). Packets containing Calcium Oxide and its reactant, water, in separate sides of a plastic, non-reactant package. When someone wanted to add a quick boost of heat to their defrosting efforts, they would break the package, as one breaks a glowstick. This would produce Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), as well as a useful amount of heat.Reward: You Decide!
Why not use the rotation of the wheels to power the cpu in a car and the air conditioning. Using the same technology that already exists in the creation of energy through water or wind turbines.
I feel it's time to step way back and re-think our entire transportation system. Mono rail trains or public transport is nice, but most people don't bother because they still have to get to the depot. If we use the technology we have, we could run a single track everywhere there is now pavement, right to every garage. Wow you say, but how much do we spend now to pave and repave? What sold me is the endless and amazing list of benefits to this: No more drunk drivers because a computer could be programed to drive the car!(big one), An end to our dependence on foreign oil!(nother big 'un). Much less need for continental air flights! (These monorails could get to California almost before you made it to the airport and got through security)(oh, yeah and decrease terrorist threat by hijacking.) Decrease or eliminate exhaust emitions! (Oh 'nother big 'un). No need for individual car insurance, cause nobody is driving. You could sleep, read, drink or whatever on the ride there. You could send your pod to be maintained, send it to pick up your kids (with onboard camera), send it to get groceries or pizza from the automated store, or send it off to be parked until needed. They could be "parked" on all levels of a high-rise building! I could see main tracks dedicated to un-interupted long range flow elevated and capable of high speeds. Friction could be reduced to nothing with air cusions or reverse magnets. Imagine the economic surge when middle class familys didn't have to pay for gas, tires and insurance. I am not a scientist, but I do think outside the "box" and I know the technology exists, but it's the benefits that keep this idea etched on my brain.Reward: peace of mind
When you are stuck in traffic, brake lights on the car in front of you only tell half of the story. How often have you accelerated to catch up with the car in front of you only to have to slam on brakes because the car in front of you was not accelerating but getting ready to brake. whew! close call.Well, if you are paying attention, there shouldn't need to be a reason for close calls.This simple innovation of just adding a "green" colored light on the back of cars to indicate when the car was accelerating would let traffic flow more like a train. There would be less congestion and less accidents. Everyone could essentially accelerate, coast, and brake simultaneously which would basically eliminate the traffic phenomenon, "shockwave".Implementing the idea into production now would mean only some cars would have this light. NO problem. That just means you have to be extra careful around cars without the light just like you are now.Reward: some time of recognition (like a plaque)for my idea from the person that actually gets this patented, for service to mankind and safety.
Think of all the people out there who drive without a license (underage kids) or with a suspended license (Paris Hilton). Well why not have this thing in your car, somewhere discreet in your dashboard or where ever, where you have to insert you drivers license into it to activate the car. If you don't have a license you won't be able to operate a car. If you have a license it will only work on cars registered under your name so you can't break into a car and steal it. Or if you don't mind a friend or a family member driving your car you can some how activate there license into the cars computer memory so you can lend them the car whenever. I mean it might keep young hot celebrities out of the tabloids for driving without a license, but who cares?Reward: Somethin good
