VERY INVENTIVE

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- MAY 11, 2024

Inventions can change the course of history. What's even more fascinating is that sometimes innovations come from seemingly unlikely sources. There is no formula for a great idea. 

The “That Built” series on the History channel chronicles this. “From titans of industry to the creators of our favorite foods and brands to the inventors and engineers who brought our favorite dream machines to life, American culture and history is full of inspiring stories.” (https://www.history.com/that-built-documentaries)

The scope of this series is far ranging. It encompasses everything from mega-brands to snack foods. In the mix are things like cars, machines, toys, engineering, and even Mickey Mouse. It proves that thinkers are all around us. 

For example, a cutting edge operation was unveiled this week in Mt. Morris, Michigan. “Your Wash is a smart laundromat. Gone are the days of using loads of quarters. Your Wash is app based but you're able to pay for your laundry loads by debit, credit, kiosk card or through a Fast Card app.”

But wait, there's more. "With the smart app if you're at home, you can open the app to see what washers and dryers are available. You can also start your washer and dryer from your car." (https://www.abc12.com/news/business/mt-morris-mother-and-son-open-countys-first-smart-laundromat/article_03aa3140-0b4e-11ef-b03d-4fefafe6f96a.html)

If you're in your car outside the smart laundromat and it's raining, think of Mary Anderson. She was more forward thinking than all of the auto manufacturers put together. 

“Anderson left an enduring legacy on the automotive industry with her groundbreaking invention - the windshield wiper. In 1902, Anderson observed streetcar drivers struggling to maintain visibility in inclement weather. Thinking on this problem, she envisioned a solution: a moving wiper blade that could be operated from the inside. Anderson's invention soon became standard equipment for automobiles.” (https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/10-Unsung-Scientists-and-Inventors-Who-Shaped-History?)

Speaking of rain, of course you know that if you go to a baseball game and it's rained out you get a “rain check” so you can attend a future game. They were invented in the 1880s by baseball teams. However, if you get one of these don't thank Detroit Tigers fans. They were slow to figure out the process. 

“Early on, the system wasn’t widely understood. The June 3, 1887, edition of the Detroit Free Press, described some confusion.” One rainy day: “When the gates were opened a man was stationed at each turnstile with handful of rain checks, which they handed to each person who entered. A number of persons, probably supposing they were patent medicine ads, refused to take them.” (https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/rain-check-meaning)

Before you even go to the ballpark, you can check an app on your smartphone to see the weather forecast. This takes place thanks to wireless communication available today. You might think a big time internet company is responsible for this. Not so, though. Thank a Hollywood actress. 

Hedy Lamarr was a major star during Hollywood’s golden age. Some film critics called her the most beautiful actress the movies. “But behind a glamorous facade, she was also an accomplished inventor whose groundbreaking ideas would help shape the future of wireless communication.”

A concept developed during WWII set the stage. “Lamarr, along with composer George Antheil, conceived a revolutionary idea: frequency hopping spread spectrum technology. It aimed to address the issue of jamming radio-controlled torpedoes. The concept involved rapidly switching frequencies during transmission, making it nearly impossible for adversaries to disrupt guidance signals.”

The IEEE Standards Association says: “Lamarr’s technology resurfaced as a crucial element in the development of modern wireless communication. Lamarr’s work helped inspire modern wireless communication technologies, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.” (https://standards.ieee.org/beyond-standards/hedy-lamarr/)

One aspect of modern wireless is that it's instantaneous. Information is available  in a jiffy. With that in mind, do you know how to determine a jiffy? See, a jiffy is an actual measurement of time. (https://www.interestingfacts.com/fact/623924356fd7b70008ed5a26)

“It may surprise you to learn that for some scientists, the term has a precise definition. That definition varies depending on who’s doing the talking: The physical chemist Gilbert Newton Lewis (1875–1946) defined a jiffy as the length of time it takes for light to travel one centimeter in a vacuum.” That's pretty fast.

“However, some physicists have defined a jiffy as the time it takes light to travel one femtometer — one-millionth of a millionth of a millimeter. Each second contains roughly three hundred thousand billion billion jiffys.” That's really fast. 

Finally, sometimes an invention is actually a reinvention. This is the case with the Swiss Army Knife. It seems odd, but they are beginning to conceptualize “knives” without a knife blade. “Victorinox produces about ten million of the pocket tools each year. There are about four hundred different types to choose from, including one that boasts seventy-three functions. Until now they have always had at least one blade.”

The thought is that many users may not need a blade. “Victorinox is in the early stages of developing the first range of bladeless products designed specifically for activities where a blade would not be required. Cyclists have a need for specific tools but not necessarily a blade. They already have a tool specifically for golfers.” (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/07/swiss-army-knife-maker-to-produce-version-without-a-blade)

Specialized Swiss Army tools seems like a good idea to me. I can't wait to see how they incorporate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an app into the mix. 

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.