Inventions!

Odun childbirth device. [Link]

Odon immediately challenged a friend, Carlos Modena, to a bet over dinner. He placed a bottle containing a cork on the dinner table, and laid out several objects, including a bread bag. Thoroughly puzzled, Modena insisted the only way of getting the cork out would be to smash the bottle. So Odon showed him his trick, and won the bet.

But that night, as he slept next to his wife, Odon had a lightbulb moment - what if he used the same principle to help women give birth? At 04:00 he tried to wake her up. "Marcela, this cork trick could make labour easier!" he said. His wife mumbled, "That's nice," turned over and went back to sleep.

In the days that followed, Odon kept mulling it over, but found it difficult to get people to listen to him. Most thought the idea was crazy. Eventually he persuaded Modena to introduce him to his family's obstetrician.

The unbrella. [Link]

When was the last time there was a groundbreaking innovation in umbrella design? Exactly. Japanese product design firm H Concept has unveiled their latest: UnBRELLA, an inverted umbrella. Why exactly would you want to invert an umbrella? Well, if you live in a crowded metropolis like Tokyo there are many reasons. When you jump on a crowded train after escaping a downpour your dripping wet umbrella usually brushes up against your bag, your clothes or – even worse – a stranger. But by inverting the design, the wet side of the umbrella faces inward when closed, exposing only the dry side.

And that’s not all: the innovative design makes it easier to open when coming out of a car or other covered area. And when not in use the UNBRELLA stands up on its own.