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There's something about children's innocence and unspoiled imagination that makes them brilliant at coming up with surreal hypothetical inventions.
Artist, designer and inventor Dominic Wilcox decided to put their ideas to good use with The INVENTORS! Project
The ideas range from the bizarre ("You insert the baby in the pouch and attach the paint splatter blanket onto the wall and your baby sleeps on the wall") to the practical ("I struggle to get my Pringles out ((of the bottom of the tub)), well here’s a cure! A hook that you pull to get more Pringles out").
See the kids' sketch blueprints and the resultant inventions in the gallery below:
Show all 50 1 /50The INVENTORS! project The INVENTORS! project The Liftolator (War avoider) “If you want to get away from war simply get your house and garden on a platform. Sit on the seat and get on the platform. Soon you will be on the seat and steering your way out of the war zone and into a safe area.” Charlotte Scott, 11.
Charlotte met with the maker Erin Dickson at Fab Lab Sunderland and explained her idea in more detail. Erin was initially attracted to the Liftolator ‘war avoider’ due to the dark themes viewed from an innocent 11 year old’s perspective, which reminded her of the abstract and controversial works of 1960’s architectural group Archigram. The War Avoider envisages a utopian escape for those living in war torn countries, complete with a starter pack, an invisible shield and a pre-planted vegetable patch. A family can enter the pod via the elevating armchair, and live safely and happily while Liftolator drives itself to a more peaceful location. The glass dome was hand blown by at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland. It represents the ‘invisible blanket’ as described in the drawing.
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Pringles Hook “I struggle to get my Pringles out (of the bottom of the tub), well here’s a cure!. A hook that you pull to get more Pringles out.” Georgia Dinsley, 11.
The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Georgia further questions about her design and how it worked. He then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “Simple but very useful aid to consuming Pringles, particularly the ones further down the pack. The hook is designed to fit inside the pack when sold to add extra value for the customer.” Andy Mattocks
Dominic Wilcox
“This invention is a family scooter. It works by all the family push and it rides. It would be great for a big family” Wendy Ridley, 9.
“Wendy’s invention sketch was clear and conveyed much of what we needed. We met with Wendy at AMAP to get Wendy involved in assembling the final version of the scooter. This design really works and has seen lots of people keen to try it out and have fun. It was important with 5 wheels in a line that we ensured the scooter would articulate and steer so we had to make ensure the finished product was safe and manoeuvrable, which we discussed with Wendy. The handlebars can be adjusted to different heights to allow for the whole family to have fun … although we probably recommend an adult is on the only brake at the rear. The whole design can fold up still and fit in the car boot for easy transport on fun family days out! We know Wendy and her family enjoyed testing it, once they could get Dominic off it of course! We have some interesting videos of the Formula Student team testing the prototype… which we will save for the appropriate time!! This could catch on!” Roger O’Brian
Dominic Wilcox
The INVENTORS! project Ladybird Umbrella An invention by Sophia Carr, age 5 made real by Norman Veitch of Wearside Glass
Sophia met with expert glass craftsman Norman of Wearside Glass, who came out of retirement to make Sophia’s Ladybird umbrella invention at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland. The idea is simply to give ladybirds a place to keep dry. Sophia watched intently as Norman made her invention.
Dominic Wilcox
The INVENTORS! project Shady Lamp “The invention is called a Shady Lamp. It is used instead of the dimmer switch which sometimes breaks – use blinds! So when you pull the lever the plastic blinds will turn different directions. This invention is aimed at everyone of all ages. It’s not bright and colourful so it’s not childish and not too grown up.” Layla Amir
Layla met up with Carl Gregg at Fab Lab Sunderland and discussed the idea in more detail in order to be made real. “I thought this was such an interesting concept I was so pleased I had the opportunity to make it. That said, it did end up being a more complex design than I had expected and took about eighty hours to design and build. Using rotating blinds is a great idea to vary the light output from the lamp and I would love to make another for myself. I love how this project mixed old technologies such as push rods, gears and louvres with contemporary techniques such as laser cutting and 3D printing.” Carl Gregg
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Ezy Slice Fryer (Instant fries) “The invention is a potato gun that instantly slices and fries potatoes by using an air gun and a splash wall to prevent spillages and when it has been used it can be folded up for storage. Perfect for any household.” Isaac Dawson, 11.
The young inventor met with product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Isaac further questions about his design and how it worked. Andy then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “The concept of a potato gun shooting through a grill into a fryer is presented. The top of the ‘gun’ folds back to enable the peeled potato to be inserted in the barrel. The compressed air for the gun is stored in a refillable cylinder in the back of the unit and activated by hitting the red button. The potato is fired through an interchangeable grid for optional alternative sizes and shapes of chips. To retrieve the chips once cooked, the gun unit can be wound up out of the way so that the protective transparent lid can be removed. Colours and basic design as client specification. The folding system for storage needs further development work beyond this first prototype.” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Handy Hi 5 “A machine that gives you a high five. I say ‘High Five’ and it high fives when it springs up and it turns red and says ‘High 5’ when the hands meet each other. Children would use it.” Oliver, 6.
Oliver visited the Fab Lab Sunderland to explain his idea to the maker Tony Canning. “Oliver’s High 5 machine…… …presented an interesting challenge. Immediate thoughts were to use the Arduino open source electronics prototyping platform to control a motor to operate a cam. The motor needed more power than first thought and this resulted in changing the mechanism to a flip release at the motor. The frame is built from a modular kit form. Onto this is a casting of Oliver’s own hand which was a difficult job. This was produced from a molding taken of Oliver’s hand at FabLab Sunderland which was in turn used to cast a foam copy of his hand.” Tony Canning
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Super Fast Tennis Ball “This is a tennis ball that you can adjust the power and make it fast and strong” Kai Rowntree, 10.
The young inventor met with the maker Carl Gregg. Carl asked Kai further questions about his design, then started work making a model. Turn the dial to select speed, press in and turn again to select power. Play a game of tennis at your preferred speed. Super fast or slow. “I thought this was such a fun idea and really captured the essence of a child’s invention. The idea is simple: put controls onto a ball that can set power and speed of a ball in flight. What a great thing to have! Unfortunately, we can’t control gravity or build in mini engines into the ball so it was agreed that this would be a concept model only. The electronics are based on Arduino, which is a fabulous system for anyone interested in getting started with micro controllers.” Carl Gregg
Dominic Wilcox
The INVENTORS! project Tooth O Matic Henry, 12, wrote, “You put the toothpaste inside the hatch and when you push the button it presses the toothpaste up the tube and onto the brush. i think people who are in a rush will use it.”
Henry met with maker Brian and discussed his idea in more detail. “The idea was a toothbrush with built in toothpaste. During the client meeting we talked about how it should feel. Not too bulky. One idea was to use the pump type toothpaste dispenser. However, I struggled to see how to get it to the toothbrush and still be functional. The solution suggested itself as using a syringe fitted into the bottom of a electric toothbrush that had its innards removed, and a liquid path made by drilling through the centre of toothbrush neck and a few holes to let it out in the bristles. This result is a toothbrush that is usable, and self-toothpastable (a new word perhaps?).” Brian Degger
Credit and Copyright ©: Colin Davison+44 (0)7850 609 340colin@rosellastudios.comwww.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Flipping Rope “The flipping Rope is a flying skipping rope. Like a normal skipping rope but with propellors and lights on the end. You can skip, you can fly, or you can skip while you fly. Propellors are battery powered. Make sure you land before they run out! Children will use it to skip to other countries and pilots who want more fun will use it too!” Chloe Main, 6.
The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Chloe further questions about her design and how it worked. He then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “The new fun way to travel. Designed to and using colours given in the comprehensive specification and briefing provided by the client.” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Glasswards “If you put the glasses on you can see behind you” Alex Dickens, 11.
Alex met with the theatre prop maker Alan Parker to discuss his idea. “Out of the designs the reverse glasses really appealed to my sense of humour. On speaking to Alex about his initial idea was ‘mam’s eyes’ as mums have eyes in the back of their heads to see what you are doing behind their back. It was unusual building someone else’s idea as I work in theatre making scenery and props to my own designs, but enjoyed Alex’s enthusiasm for his idea- ‘Glassworks’ glasses that look backwards.” Alan Parker
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Lynx Tea Spray “This invention is a Lynx Tea, you spray it (in your mouth) when you want tea but you are late for something.” Andrew Donkin
The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Andrew further questions about his design and how it worked. Andy then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “As described in the client’s briefing, when you have no time, grab your tea and keys and go! Features specified by the client include mains dock or internal batteries to keep the tea hot, twisting top to lock off the spray and cover the nozzle and the materials. Colours proposed largely to colour specification. Fictional branding for illustration purposes only.” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project The Paint Splatta Baby Sleeper “You insert the baby in the pouch and attach the paint splatter blanket onto the wall and your baby sleeps on the wall.” Morgan and Shaun, 12.
Morgan and Shaun met with fibre glass maker Dave to describe their idea. They later visited Dave’s workplace to see it made. “Out of all the invention ideas Splat Baby was the only one I could see made in fibreglass, so from a manufacturing perspective, it would work best for my particular process. The invention idea also stood out for me as I thought it was a great idea! Specific aspects of the design that were important to get right included, the colours, the position of the baby seat and the shape. The solution for the baby seat came after much thought and eventually was made out of a race motorbike rear seat, which is another product that we make and worked perfectly.” Dave Park
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project The Licker’ spider alarm clock “My invention is for when you can’t be bothered to wake up in the morning well when you wake up, a spider will be hanging on the ceiling and if you don’t wake up by 7AM it will come down and lick you on your face.” Krystal James, 9.
The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Andrew further questions about his design and how it worked. Andy then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “A large spider, approximately 500mm in diameter that will descend on you if you do not get up when you should, encouraging you out of bed with the offer of a big sloppy wet lick! Colour and concept as designed by the client.” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Shout Activated Camera “Someone shouts into a shouting device which is picked up by a microphone and triggers a camera.” Daniel Shimmin via parent.
Daniel met with maker Alistair to describe his idea in more detail. Alistair then made a working prototype. “This is a simple idea from a shy four-and-a-half year old. When you shout something like “Boiled Sausages” it takes a picture. The physical design was a mound like shape with a stalk coloured “all of the colours”. It took me a while to figure out what was at the top of the stalk. I was told it was “the thing that takes the picture” but it was not the sound sensor or any kind of switch. After a lot of thinking it I realised I was missing the obvious and it was the actual camera on the stalk. The invention was built by “hacking” a traditional camera and adding a sound module to simulate the shutter button being pressed when it detects a loud sound. The body was vacuum formed and painted inside with acrylic paint.” Alistair MacDonald
Dominic Wilcox
The INVENTORS! project Light Machine Wig “My invention is for people who are scared of the dark. It has a switch to turn some LED lights on. It is designed for the dark nights if you are walking back from school or after playing out and you need to walk home.” Katie Symcox, 9.
The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Katie further questions about her design and how it worked. He then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here.” “A fun product with a serious function. Helps light your way home on dark winter nights. The hollow wig glows from internal lights, LED accessories and front facing mini torches” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Creakless Slippers This is an invention for people who own homes with very creaky floorboards. You can press a button on your slippers and out comes a pillow attached to the bottom of your slipper. The creakier the floorboard the more pillows to the bottom of your slippers. It would come in useful when trying not to wake up other people in the house. With different patterns available.” Sally O’Hara Sheader.
"Sally’s invention consists of inflatable slippers that enable people to walk on squeezy floorboards without making a noise. I worked with Sally in identifying how to make the resulting prototype best convey her idea to an audience. Then she gave the invention a new iteration in its design. The final prototype was developed according to her specifications. It is a slipper with an air pillow attached to its sole, and with a pompom at the back that turns green from red when you activate it by pretending to be putting the slipper on – as a way to demonstrate the interactivity of the invention.” Lalya Gaye
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Self Waterer Plant Pot – SWPP “This invention is for everyone. This is a self watering plant pot which you programme so it sets off at the right time. It will make life easier so people don’t keep plants. It has a electronic device which will water your plant.” Kaja Jach, 10.
Kaja met with maker Brian Degger and discussed her idea in more detail. “The client wanted a way that a plant could get watered by itself. During the discussion we also talked about whether it might need light too. The invention consists of a container, a light source, a pump, a sensor for water and a micro-controller (arduino). When the water sensor detects that the soil is too dry, the micro-controller turns on the pump using a relay until the pot plant is watered. We also discussed that it could also be for a cactus plant that might need watering once a year, to be able to time the flowering event.” Brian Degger
Dominic Wilcox
The INVENTORS! project Clever Clothing “My invention is a dress that turns into a top. Buy one get one free outfit. The button holes at the bottom fold to attach to the buttons underneath the skirt. Then unfold the hidden straps and wear it as a top.” Charlotte Stothard
Charlotte met with maker Kate Eccles and explained her design in more detail. “Charlotte, the inventor of Clever Clothes met me to explain the function of her invention. She had designed a skirt that turns into a top. She was very clear the blue stripes were designed to cover buttonholes and she described the exact colours and weight of fabric she wanted. I sourced the fabric, I crated a toile (first version). The design became 3D. I tweaked the positions of buttons then made a final version with the real fabric. How to use: Tuck half the fabric under, button inside. Take orange fabric from inside the skirt, use as straps. Charlotte’s invention is a brilliant design. I would love one myself!” Kate Eccles
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Life Band, swimming life saver My invention is a band that you wear when you go swimming. If you are drowning you could press the button and a bag would get filled with airby a motor so you would float and not die. The motor has a sensor so it stops when it’s full of air.” Danny Sarsfield, 9.
The INVENTORS! project Life Band, swimming life saver The young inventor met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Danny further questions about his design and how it worked. Andy then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “A safety band that you wear when swimming as described by the client. The button to activate is protected by a safety cover that is easily unclipped as discussed at the client briefing. Also agreed and added is a source of air in the form of a compressed gas canister so that the device is able to fill the airbag even when under water. The look and feel of the product is similar to a GoPro camera as directed by the client.” Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Leaf Catcher “Mother Nature is untidy. This invention is a leaf catcher to keep the streets tidy.” Elsie Ronald
“The team at AMAP loved the quirk idea that Mother Nature is untidy, and something to stop the problem of leaves ‘littering’ the world! Elsie’s invention called for a ‘giant umbrella’, however we felt that we could interpret this a little broadly to make something in keeping with nature, yet fun and quirky, but at the same time eye catching and sculptural (art meeting engineering!). The idea therefore evolved that the panels of the catcher could be giant representations of leaves.” Roger O’Brian
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Phone Friend Telephone Arm “Telephone boxes are not big enough for wheelchairs. I’m inventing a telephone box that hands you the phone.“ Colin Salmon
Colin met with professional 3D product designer Andy Mattocks who asked Colin further questions about his design and how it worked. He then went away and produced a series of computer generated 3D visuals of the invention as shown here. “The client identified the need for wheelchair users to have access to public telephones where the access is narrow or restricted. The user is offered the phone on an arm when the wheelchair stops over the sensor area. A sensor ‘eye’ at the bottom will direct the arm to where the user is waiting. The payment is by contactless smart card negating the need for cash or coins. The user can make a second call or hang up when finished. The arm will retract when the wheel chair exits the sensor pad or the user presses the red retract button on the side.“ Andy Mattocks
The INVENTORS! project Talking Lunch Clock
“When I met Lorraine it was clear she had three passions in her life. Those are the colour pink, owls, and lunch. She has an amazing lunch bag that combines all three. What Lorraine invented with help from her carers was a clock that looked just like her lunch bag that said “tweet tweet” when it was time for lunch. It was important to her that it did not go “tweet twoo”, it had to go “tweet tweet”. The main body of the clock is laser cut from pink acrylic with coloured vinyl to add the face and eyes. The system is controlled by an Arduino compatible microcontroller, a real time clock module, and a sound sampler module that plays out the “tweet tweet”, or any other sound we choose to record.“ Alistair MacDonald
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
For politicians who like the sound of their own voice” Councillor Alan Kerr
The INVENTORS! project Self Hearing Earphones “We all think politicians love the sound of their own voice, and as this was invented by a local politician this is clearly true. The original intention was to have pipes taking the sound from the wearer’s mouth to their ears, but as it was realised that we could use electronics and computers the ideas flowed and a more advanced and fun invention emerged. The desire was to be able to change the colour of the headphones to the appropriate political colours so I used the vinyl cutter to create coloured stickers for the side. Different political parties can apply the appropriate stickers. The headphones themselves are a consumer USB pair that are plugged into a Raspberry Pi computer where the magic happens. Just press the “Mode” button to change what effect is applied to your voice.“ Alistair MacDonald
Colin Davison www.rosellastudios.com
The INVENTORS! project Disco Headphones "Headphones with glitter balls and flashing lights.” Linda Baton
"[Wilcox] gathered just over 600 invention drawings from the odd and absurd to the brilliantly clever," the project explained. "Dominic picked out around 60 that he thought had great potential. At a meeting at Sunderland’s Fab Lab, Dominic showed the drawings to the local makers who wanted to be involved in the project. After great discussion each maker showed their preferences for ideas they would like to make into reality.
"The young inventors were invited to meet the person who would make their idea, and describe in more detail their invention drawing and idea. Of fundamental importance to the INVENTORS! project is that the inventor is the designer and the maker makes whatever the inventor has designed and discussed.
"The makers then had 4 weeks to work on the project (at the same time as doing their usual work!)"
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