Seems like every week there’s news about how Tesla is changing the way we drive cars, enjoy cars, fuel cars, and now even sit in cars. They, along with others in the news this week, keep innovation moving with regular patents on intellectual property. That’s what keeps technology moving, right? So, let’s take a look at how things are shaking these days.
Tesla Patents Freestanding Seat Design
If you’ve ever dropped something under the seat of your car, then you know what a jungle it is down there. The rails and cords and nuts and bolts take up a lot of real estate in an already small space inside your car. Tesla decided to do something about that with their freestanding seat design.
As you can see from the patent images, this seat perches on a post of sorts rather than settling over two rails with four edges of the seat bolted down at all times. As you might imagine, there are safety concerns at play here, but Tesla is on top of that, too. The patent, rather than focusing on the cool functionality the new design would offer (such as easier use of third-row seats in vans and SUVs) instead focuses on the seat’s ability to carry the weight of the passengers and how the seats hold up in the event of an accident.
Seems like Tesla has thought of everything once again.
Disney Hints at Guardians of the Galaxy Ride with New Patent
While no one can know for sure from the patent information, many suspect the latest patent from Disney could be for a Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster ride. Setting itself apart from other roller coasters that feature a hanging car, this ride will also add the additional maneuverability of a pendulum.
As you can see from the patent image, this ride will swing in all directions while the coaster is also moving forward at full speed. This is to give the sensation of swinging from a vine or a web, as the reports have stated. Sounds like this could also be a themed ride for Spiderman or even Tarzan. I guess we’ll wait for the news and see for ourselves.
Microsoft Patents Fingerprint Sensor in Keyboard
Biometric security features are nothing new, with fingerprint sensors, retina scanners, and now even face recognition technology readily available for many electronics. The problem for designers is that the biometric component has always required a secondary component.
Microsoft has now patented a fingerprint sensor within the keyboard of its laptops. This eliminates the need for a dedicated scanner somewhere else on the laptop, and also now means that external sensors that connect through the USB drive will no longer be needed.
It’s a pretty cool move that streamlines the technology and the design, and it just might change the way all our devices are made.
Apple Granted Patent for Cellular MacBook
We already carry around tiny computers in our pocket that give us the ability to browse the internet anywhere over a cellular connection. Apple has now made it possible to enjoy that same connection with a laptop, meaning the need for a Wi-Fi hotspot could soon disappear entirely.
The patent in question details antennae in the hinge of the device. The technology would allow the MacBook to do anything it would normally do over a Wi-Fi connection, including making VoIP calls, watching videos, and web browsing.
Patents Can Point to the Future
In a recently posted an article to Huffington Post, our founder Joe Hadzima answered an article by the Wall Street Journal: New Way to Track Auto Innovation: Patent Filings. In our article, we discussed using patents as a way to tell the future. That’s exactly why we share this news with you—to help you better see the future of innovation. Knowing what’s coming down the pipeline not only shows you what you can’t make, it also shows you what you can. For some guidance as you navigate your next innovation, give us a call.
