5 ms·

Dean Kamen’s Inflatable Wind Turbine Doubles As Digital Billboard

28 points by sunsu 15y ago

jellicle 15y ago
But keep in mind the truly important part of a patent application: the device described need not exist or even be capable of being built.
- bfe 15y ago
  If it's incapable of being built, the patent examiner is supposed to reject it under section 101 for failing to be useful.
po 15y ago
One of the biggest impediments to wind power is the not-in-my-backyard criticisms that wind farms are ugly. This can only make wind power adoption worse. Luckily it is only a patent application so it's all just speculation.
- sunsu 15y ago
  At least it doesn't seem to be as permanent though. Having a party over? Just deflate it and stuff it in the shed!
jayfuerstenberg 15y ago
It's difficult to judge this without seeing the final product but it is revolutionary in design. Many wind projects never get off the ground because of the barrier to entry (high initial costs and risk of wind pattern changes etc...) This design looks to get around those. If one gets developed it'll be interesting to see just how efficient it is. Maybe birds won't die when they hit one either. Maybe they'll just bounce off?
chopsueyar 15y ago
How about the balancing electric wheelchair that is no longer being produced because Johnson & Johnson cannot find a way to profit of off it, yet many people with MS want one?
- hugh3 15y ago
  If there's enough people who want it and are willing to pay for it, why can't they make a profit off it?
  - chopsueyar 15y ago
    http://www.ibotnow.com/ http://www.ibotnow.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT As of 2006 the iBOT retailed for approximately US$26,100 and required a prescription in the U.S. As of 2009, it is no longer available for sale from Independence Technology, but support for existing units will be available until the end of 2013.
zach 15y ago
So, let's say we have a turbine system that can be repeatedly deflated, moved, inflated and re-anchored. The next question is, can that process be done semi-autonomously? The big question would seem to be battery or power transmission technology. Gotta love the futuristic image of turbinebots roaming the Wyoming hills, looking for local maxima on the energy ranch.

28 points by sunsu 15y ago

But keep in mind the truly important part of a patent application: the device described need not exist or even be capable of being built.

bfe 15y ago
If it's incapable of being built, the patent examiner is supposed to reject it under section 101 for failing to be useful.

po 15y ago

One of the biggest impediments to wind power is the not-in-my-backyard criticisms that wind farms are ugly. This can only make wind power adoption worse. Luckily it is only a patent application so it's all just speculation.

sunsu 15y ago
At least it doesn't seem to be as permanent though. Having a party over? Just deflate it and stuff it in the shed!

jayfuerstenberg 15y ago

It's difficult to judge this without seeing the final product but it is revolutionary in design. Many wind projects never get off the ground because of the barrier to entry (high initial costs and risk of wind pattern changes etc...) This design looks to get around those. If one gets developed it'll be interesting to see just how efficient it is. Maybe birds won't die when they hit one either. Maybe they'll just bounce off?

chopsueyar 15y ago

How about the balancing electric wheelchair that is no longer being produced because Johnson & Johnson cannot find a way to profit of off it, yet many people with MS want one?

hugh3 15y ago
If there's enough people who want it and are willing to pay for it, why can't they make a profit off it?
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  http://www.ibotnow.com/ http://www.ibotnow.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT As of 2006 the iBOT retailed for approximately US$26,100 and required a prescription in the U.S. As of 2009, it is no longer available for sale from Independence Technology, but support for existing units will be available until the end of 2013.

zach 15y ago

So, let's say we have a turbine system that can be repeatedly deflated, moved, inflated and re-anchored. The next question is, can that process be done semi-autonomously? The big question would seem to be battery or power transmission technology. Gotta love the futuristic image of turbinebots roaming the Wyoming hills, looking for local maxima on the energy ranch.