521. Bright Idea: Dynamic Ambience (@ Club Twentyfour) September 17, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Service.add a comment
The walls of London’s club TwentyFour are covered with computer-controlled projections (which can provide various scenery, vistas, and images) and LEDs (to provide various light combinations). The variations in ambiance are infinite, and the images can also be controlled by the patrons. Like in these photos, it never has to look like the same place twice.
Check out their website HERE; via Geeksugar.
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520. Bright Idea: Blobbing September 15, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Video.add a comment
I can’t wait to do this one day: get launched off an inflatable raft. Via Uniquedaily.
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506. Bright Idea: this perspective on getting engaged September 10, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Optical Illusion, Video.add a comment
My brother sent me a link to this video clip. What a creative way to pop the question. The clip is a little long, but enjoy the music, the buildup, and the passion. I found it quite moving, actually.
I thought I recognized the woman: Sara Cantor, who has a great blog that I came across because it was featured in Fast Company. It’s called The Curious Shopper, and it has her analysis on why some shopping experiences work and others don’t. The guy in the clip has his own blog, Things We Think but Do Not Say.
The clip is reminiscent of my previous post on perspective illusions (HERE).
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499. Bright Idea: Backyard Waterparks September 7, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Video.add a comment
I hope to one day have a waterpark in my backyard. The first clip is of a basic backyard set-up, but I included it because of the star of the clip: a fun loving dog (via Neatorama). The second clip is of a show that featured an amazing family backyard waterpark in AZ (watch the first minute).
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494. Bright Idea: the Pedal-powered Pub Crawler September 5, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Service, Transportation.add a comment
Go from bar to bar in style on this one-of-a-kind vehicle. No driving drunk (you have 2 designated steerpersons), you get some exercise, meet new people, cause a scene, and have a unique experience. Read more about it HERE; via UniqueDaily.
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480. Bright Idea?: Automated Waitstaff August 31, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Food and Drink, Service, Video.add a comment
At the restaurant Baggers, in Nuremberg, Germany, you order your food via computer (which will also tell you how long it will take for your food to arrive), and then the food is delivered to you via gravity and a rail system. Watch the homemade video below to see the system in action (jump to 1 minute in to see food arrive at their table). Read more about it HERE; via SciFiTech.
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463. Bright Idea: TXTual Healing August 24, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Art, Experience.add a comment
Pedestrians can send a text message to a designated phone number to have their message displayed for all to see. Street art + mobile technology + audience and art interaction = one Bright Idea. TXTual Website HERE; via Wired.
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433. Bright Idea: the Omni-directional Treadmill August 14, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product, Video.2 comments
Like the post below, here is another 26-second video clip of omni-directional technology. The army is exploring the uses of this idea, but I know most of us are waiting for that totally immersive gaming experience (match the treadmill with a wraparound screen and a light gun and you get Halo 4). Treadmill website HERE; via OhGizmo!
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426. Bright Idea: GetFreshMinds.com’s Creativity Challenge August 6, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Person, Service.add a comment
Over at GetFreshMinds.com, Katie Konrath presented a creativity competition aimed at stimulating connection making. With the goal of finding a way to improve a car, you are given a random word as inspiration. I was given “Carousel.” Read the post below to see what I did with it.
With her master’s degree in Creativity and Innovation, Katie knows how to get ideas sparking. Check out her blog HERE.
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416. IdeaSpark*: Suspended Half-Piping July 31, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, IdeaSpark*, Product, Video.add a comment
I would love to skate on a half-pipe, but I am a complete novice and a coward. That is why I want someone to construct a semi-circular half-pipe with a wire swing suspended above.
You would grip the attached handlebar, strap a skateboard to your feet, then thrash back and forth like a pendulum without worrying about wiping out. With enough practice, you won’t even need the wire.
It would be similar to the “Ridewire” video clip below, but actually fun. Clip via Trendhunter.
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375. Bright Idea: The Bungee Trampoline July 16, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Product, Video.1 comment so far
I filmed this clip of this Bright Idea earlier this month. I regret not paying the $7 to give this a try (we were running late for a home-cooked dinner when I came across this). Apparently, it can hold up to 200 lbs. The 13 y.o. girl on before I filmed was doing flips.
The clip is 38 seconds long.
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333. Bright Idea: Xtreme Sledding June 4, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Product, Video.add a comment
Wow. This looks like a blast. I wonder if my wife will let me pick this up as a hobby? Xtreme sledding provides lots of control and stability, and being that close to the ground, it must be thrilling. Best of all: no snow required. This clip is 1:42 minutes long; via Trendpimp.com.
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301. Bright Idea: Rocking Blanket April 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Product.add a comment
I wish they made an adult version of this rocking blanket. And I also wish I had two trustworthy friends who were giants with iron-gripping hand strength. I also wish I could fly and become invisible and stop time. Buy the kid version blanket HERE (40 Euros); via Swissmiss.com.
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299. Bright Idea: Interactive Advertising April 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Marketing.2 comments
Imagine being in this Canadian bus stop, and talking into this billboard to a complete stranger, who turns out to be at another similar bus stop in an entirely different city. I think that would be wild. What a brilliant marketing idea for Solo phones.
What would even be wilder is if you began to have phone-sex with this stranger, and then eventually fell in love and got married. Via Core77.com.
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284. Bright Idea: The Apartment Slide April 19, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Product.3 comments
Why not? It’s fun, and saves energy wasted during elevator-usage. Similar to the London Public Slides. Via random-good-stuff.com.
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257. Bright Idea: The Carver One March 28, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product.add a comment
The Carver One has the opposite three wheel configuration than the Piaggio MP3, but looks just as fun to drive. However, it costs a whole lot more, at $45 K. For that price, it better come with a whole bunch of air bags.
Again, most everyone, not just millionaires, should have the opportunity to give this a try, so someone needs to rent these out.
Check out the 44-second promo video below. Via FunniestGadgets.com.
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253. Bright Idea?: The Transport Pod March 27, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product.add a comment
For $10,000+, you can own this Perceptual Pod, which includes speakers, lights synchronized to music, and a waterbed pad. Check out (or not) the designer’s website here (it’s annoying).
I highly doubt that many individuals would purchase one of these for personal use. But, I think I would take my date (just once) to a night club that had a bunch of these to chill in. Despite being a questionably Bright Idea, this pod is also a slightly novel experience, so I included it. Via BornRich.com.
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236. Bright Idea: The XBoard March 18, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Product, Video.add a comment
I always found jet-skis to be underwhelming. I would be excited to rent one (at $80/hr), but then I would soon get kinda bored after about 15 minutes.
However, this XBoard looks like it would really be a thrill. They can reach speeds of up to 60 MPH. Buy one for about $10,000 (via TahitiPetey.com). Watch a few moments of this video below to get the idea (via Webfish.com).
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194. Bright Idea: uWink Bistro March 5, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Food and Drink, Service, Video.add a comment
The Idea: a techified dining experience where patrons can order food, play quick games (also with other tables), and get educated on wine tasting via computer monitors on their table. Created by Nolan Bushnell (Father of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s), the first uWink Bistro opened in LA in 2006.
Here is a quick video clip to give you an idea of the place (18 seconds):
With a monitor at the table, the potential is huge: hosting dating events; watch how your dish is cooked; learn more about your food and health; corporate team building; instant rating of dishes (see my IdeaSpark*: #41 Restaurant Menus 2.0).
Though the wait staff has been removed from the equation (thus, no tips?), the challenge for uWink will be to continue to encourage more human-to-human interaction at the table, and not replace it.
Their website (HERE) has the layout of various activity zones (including the Party Table), menus, press coverage and releases, and more information (though not many photos). Via Springwise.com.
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193. Bright Idea: The ScarPar March 5, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product, Video.add a comment
Still in development, this motorized all-terrain board looks like a blast. The manufacturers hope to have it go 35-50 mph, and travel over 20 miles on a single tank. The video is 1:24 minutes long.
Check out their website HERE. Via Trendhunter.com.
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192. IdeaSpark*: Appetizing Aroma Candles March 4, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Food and Drink, IdeaSpark*, Product, Service.1 comment so far
I really love the smell of delicious food: sizzling garlic, roasting meat, baking treats, cooking spices. I love these smells more than those of lavender and summer rain.
IdeaSpark*: Produce candles that smell like certain savory dishes.
Imagine: At your dinner party, you are about to serve your meal of garlic bread and spaghetti (some of which you may have prepared and cooked earlier that evening). Before serving your guests, you light up your Garlic Lovers candle and the Basil/Oregano Italian candle. Your guests will be appetized and your dishes will be enhanced.
Dessert candles, of course, would be just as welcome (chocolate, vanilla, baked cookies, apple pie, etc), along with the Java candle to accompany the after-dinner coffee.
And to push this idea to its limits: sommeliers would develop certain candles that would accentuate the Merlot or Pinot Grigio your guests sip on before dinner.
If these products already exist on the market, here is a business IdeaSpark*: sell each tiny candle type with an accompanying and matching recipe, so people can mix, match, and arrange an aromatic multiple-course dining experience.
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191. Bright Idea: Indoor Night Sky March 3, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product.2 comments
This $99 Healing Moon glows when the room goes dark, and can also mimic the 12 phases of the moon.
Put this on your ceiling, along with a bunch of glow-in-the-dark star stickers, and you have the beautiful night sky above your bed at night. And if you are even more hardcore, buy a noise machine that emits summer night sounds (e.g. crickets and wind), like this one here
Buy the moon HERE and stars HERE
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189. Classic: Tickle Me Elmo March 1, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Classic, Experience, Plaything, Product, Video.2 comments
I saw this video of Tickle Me Elmo yesterday, and bought one today. This coincided with me going to a workshop on the healthy power of laughter. Almost nothing beats the all-natural and immediate salubrious effect of laughing, its minimal cost (um…it’s usually free), and its positive impact on your relationships and others. Immediately combat stress (arguably our #1 toxin) with a healthy dose of laughter, which is, of course, the best medicine.
Here is a short 1-min clip. Prepare, and even encourage yourself, to laugh as you watch this.
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185. Bright Idea: Freeze-Dried Burial February 28, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Service.add a comment
Ah, this idea is even better than one of my previous IdeaSparks* (#17: The Memorial Forest):
In Sweden, some dead bodies are flash frozen in liquid nitrogen, then shattered, then placed in a biodegradable corn starch coffin which will break down within a year. The remains are nutrient rich, and, for instance, can nourish a plant placed directly above.
To me, this idea seems better for the planet, the soul, the plant, and those left behind. Sign me up.
Read more HERE (CNN.com). (via Time Magazine)
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181. IdeaSpark*: Dating Services February 23, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, IdeaSpark*, Service.add a comment
Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Either you have a partner, and thus felt pressure to have an expensive meal, find a gift, and be loving and affectionate; or you are single, and maybe felt somewhat like an outcast in our pair-bonding-centric society. I could do without that holiday.
But, because finding love and sex can be primary human drives, here are two of my IdeaSparks* to make dating easier (they may already exist):
Click on for the IdeaSparks* (long post)…
177. Bright Idea: Piaggio’s MP3 Three-wheeled Scooter February 20, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Product, Video.2 comments
Damn. What a head-turner. And it looks incredibly fun. Someone should start a franchise of brick-and-mortar stores renting these joyrides out by the hour/day. Especially in any city that gets tourists. What better way to see most of the environment then while cruising around on these beauties. Check out the short video below.
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155. HumBugg: MiniBar Reservations February 4, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Food and Drink, HumBugg, Service.1 comment so far
Cafe Atlantico’s Minibar was just voted the 5th best restaurant in Washington, DC, by Washingtonian Magazine (review here). With only 12 seats available a night, each bar-front seating of 6 has a chef preparing 30 different morsels in front the patrons.
You can only make reservations exactly one month in advance, starting at 9 AM that morning. This morning, I called the Minibar at 8:56 AM to try to reserve seats to celebrate my wife’s birthday next month, and a kind lady answered and told me to call back at 9:00. At 8:59, I called back, only to get a busy signal. Over 50 calls with busy signals (literally, from my phone alone, not counting the calls from my wife’s cell phone) and 13 minutes later, I finally got the same lady, who stated that, sorry, they were all booked up.
Bright Idea: As a restaurant, come up with a dining experience where reservations are booked instantly.
HumBugg: Making me speed dial my phone like I am trying to be the 9th caller to a radio station giving away tickets to see ‘N Sync, Elvis, and the Pope open for the premiere screening of Star Wars Episode 7.
Almost makes me want to pay the $40 fee to Primetabletables.com, a service which provides reservations to “the most sought after and exclusive restaurants in the US.” (via Springwise.com)
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154. Bright Idea: Indoor Ski Slope February 4, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Service.add a comment
Dubai‘s Mall of the Emirates (the largest mall outside of the US) has an indoor ski slope. Slope facts: 25 stories high; 5 different runs, with the longest being about 1,000 feet long; US $35 admission fee). Check out Ski Dubai’s website HERE. Below is a 15-second clip of the interior.
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146. Quickie Web: Multimedia Web Mashup: Beyond War January 26, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Audio, Experience, Quickie Web, Video.add a comment
To check out this 5:30 minute multimedia web mashup I call “Beyond War,” please follow these steps:
- Press Play on the Youtube clip below. Once the red line loads, click towards the end, so there is about 5:30 minutes indicated left. Continue playing.
- Then hit the Play button on the Songspot (in the right margin, near the top).
- Then click HERE, and just take it all in for about 5 minutes.
- P.S. To make this experience currently relevant, you could think about the U.S. in Iraq.
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143. Bright Idea?: Human Slingshot January 24, 2007
Posted by Matt Fleming, PsyD in Experience, Plaything, Video.add a comment
Wow. Bright Idea: a new, extreme, thrill-seeking adrenalin rush: The Human Slingshot. Not So Bright Idea: neglecting to have a helmet worn for this stunt. This initially looks like a nightmare waiting to happen. Also, call me sexist for noticing and commenting on this, but why are 6 guys launching the lone woman? Maybe it has to do with weight, but I can only speculate.
This video is 52 seconds long (but really starts at second 34):
I saw this on G4’s Attack of the Show this evening.
SparkBugg.com 