Useful Inventions, That Haven't Been Made Yet

I have a top loading automatic washing machine and, whenever the cycle is finished, and I want to unload it, I almost always choose the wrong way to turn the tub, thus often trapping my fingers by going too far.

A simple solution would be, Indesit please note and check here for where to send the cheque, to put arrows on the drum pointing to the nearest opening catch.

Guess who’s just trapped his fingers again, and now for another try but by coming here to write this I hae forgotten which way was wrong before. :enraged_face:

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Don’t they go both ways as that’s how they wash? They flollop backwards and forwards throughout the cycle.

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“Flollop” (English) word of the week for me!

Just read about Dyson"s latest unnecessary and expensive invention

https://www.dezeen.com/2026/09/01/dyson-camerajet-first-toothbrush-floss/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dezeen%20Agenda%20226&utm_content=Dezeen%20Agenda%20226+CID_2221b216e9e99362f5e28f16fd3076a5&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Dysons%20first%20toothbrush%20uses%20a%20camera%20to%20floss%20while%20you%20brush

Inspired by this picture of a ship-shipping ship shipping shipping ships…

I’m thinking of designing a vending machine vending machine.

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Just make sure you have arrows on it to show people where to start. :wink:

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I don’t know Jane, I’ve never been in there with them, but they don’t always finish in the same spot, hence my plea. Can’t be too much to ask, can it? A few little arrows. :roll_eyes:

DIY it with a waterproof marker pen?

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Is there still a bottle of Fran’s nail varnish anywhere in your house? V useful for placing little marker dots on things, or even arrows.

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My favourite thing-which-I-have-not-been-able-to-make (despite extensive research into quantum physics) is a device called a Dark. It’s like a light or torch, but reduces the brightness of whatever you shine it at.

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Well clearly the most useful thing not yet invented would be working fusion reactors - though the working things already invented (solar, wind, tidal) aren’t being used, so maybe fusion power won’t be either - just drill baby drill.

On a similar vein, the opposite of a microwave oven that cools or freezes things rapidly.

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Be careful as nail varnish can affect certain plastics and surface finishes.

Ready for Le Concours Lépine ?

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Yes, but a blob on a metal drum should last a bit and do no harm.

Interstellar trebuchet : would greatly reduce space travel cost, though the G forces would take some getting used to.

I found the only vending machine I’ll ever need.

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My favourite was on Poitiers railway station but I’m afraid it’s no longer there.

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You’d need quite a bit of space for the arm - a galaxy or two?

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I hated those cheese graters for that very reason!