AN EYE ON... inventions
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.AN EYE ON... inventions
Tokyo: The Japanese inventor Kenji Kawakami has introduced a new concept which he calls "Chindogu" (unusual tools). The term is designed to describe his inventions which are often useful for everyday life but are also flawed at some level. His ideas include "Baby Mops" - baby clothes lined with mops which allow infants to clean floors as they crawl, a toilet roll that fits over the head to be used as a portable nose-wiper, and the "Drive- by-Drier", a laundry rack that attaches to the hood of a car. Mr Kawakami is the author of 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions and its sequel, 99 More Unuseless Japanese Inventions.
Las Vegas: The Winter Consumer Electronics Show includes a combined cellular phone, Internet access and personal organiser that can be mounted on the handlebars of a mountain bike. You can also buy a portable disc player that lets you watch movies while jogging.
New York: IBM has captured the top spot for the fifth consecutive year in the list of recipients of most patents in the US. In 1997, IBM received 1,724 US patents, the second-highest total in its history.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments