The competition shortlist of 20 new inventions that could change our world.
At least Trevor Baylis and his (non)invention of the clockwork radio isn't there. He was the media's darling for a while and the wheeled him out every time for a statement from an "inventor" 
I personally don't think putting together off the shelf components to make a marketable product is invention and quiet a lot of the products in the article fall into that category. Its what us engineers do, design, and put together a system but its not invention necessarily.
The juries out on James Dyson IMHO. Sure he applied known technology in a new way and redefined the parameters for vacuum cleaners but invent I dont know?
Edit @PlusComUK i note you said engineers and designers but the article is headed inventions in true media fashion
I personally don't think putting together off the shelf components to make a marketable product is invention and quiet a lot of the products in the article fall into that category. Its what us engineers do, design, and put together a system but its not invention necessarily.
The juries out on James Dyson IMHO. Sure he applied known technology in a new way and redefined the parameters for vacuum cleaners but invent I dont know?
Edit @PlusComUK i note you said engineers and designers but the article is headed inventions in true media fashion
I would not call any of those inventions, rather applications for existing technolgies. Even that funky arm restraint to replace the plaster cast is an application of the 3D printer; so why is the 3D printer not listed? Really there's nothing innovative on that list, only products developed by companies and institutions with big budgets; the little guy in the garden shed wouldn't get a look in on this [sic] prestigous award. As for Dyson himself? I seem to remember him inventing redundancy for British workers by shipping his vacuum cleaner production to southeast Asia when the tax breaks ran out.
Bogus
Bogus
Quote from: PeterLoftus At least Trevor Baylis and his (non)invention of the clockwork radio isn't there. He was the media's darling for a while and the wheeled him out every time for a statement from an "inventor"
It seems that they've got bored with him now the novelty of the wind up radio has died away. I don't recall him inventing anything else since either though I may well be wrong - and hope I am! It seems that the media prefer James Dyson as he's bigger and sold farther round the world making the UK great again. Doesn't matter than he now manufactures stuff outside the UK..
Quote from: PeterLoftus I personally don't think putting together off the shelf components to make a marketable product is invention and quiet a lot of the products in the article fall into that category. Its what us engineers do, design, and put together a system but its not invention necessarily.
Indeed. The trouble is though, the old fashioned back yard shed inventors can't compete anymore. Anything 'new' to be invented is done inside huge £multi-million R&D labs at big companies who not only have the best scientists, theorists, designers and engineers but also the money to make new ideas a reality. The shed inventor is pretty much dead now. All anyone can hope to do these days is put existing components together and hope to possibly come up with something no-one else thought of OR just make stuff to use around the house.
Quote from: PeterLoftus The juries out on James Dyson IMHO. Sure he applied known technology in a new way and redefined the parameters for vacuum cleaners but invent I dont know?
I don't rate his vacuums that highly if I'm honest. We bought a animal dyson with the rotating brushes for pet hair etc. Now while it is very good at pulling pet hairs out of the carpet etc, it DOES loose suction. 2 months after we bought it the damn thing had no suction so i rang dyson for an explanation. She talking me through dismantling the thing and cleaning out some plastic filter thing. When I put it to her that it was a no loss of suction vacuum cleaner he response was that it could still loose suction if any of the airways got blocked up. THATS WHAT HAPPENS IN A NORMAL VACUUM CLEANER! So really Mr Dyson.. whats the bl**dy difference then? I still have to take it apart every couple of months and clean it out - just like i would a normal hoover. Seems a bit odd for a no loss of suction vacuum cleaner don't you think?
I personally like this though:
My least favourite is this:
Having nearly lost my life to a robotic surgery machine this year I have a lot of distrust for these machines now.
To be honest though, none of those inventions give me the 'wow' reaction that they should and unless it does that, it's not really that life changing IMO.