We see this happening all around us, innovation inspired by Covid-19. We want you to be inspired as well, and we hope you’ve been racking your brains for that next spark of an idea while holed up at home.
You don’t need to be a creative genius or a wizard to come up with that next big idea. Just think to yourself, “man, life would really be good if I had a (insert your widget/idea here). Why hasn’t anyone done that yet?”
It doesn’t need to be complicated. A couple in Redondo Beach, CA started Joju, a baby food delivery service. So simple and yet an idea that’s cram-packed with smartness. Drones have even evolved into household sanitizers now.
Batter up, trailblazer – you’re on deck for that next home run. In the meantime, maybe our top 5 will jolt the ‘ol noodle into overdrive and trigger that next big idea.
Zoo Jeans- Fashionably Torn by Lions and Tigers and Bears
With the zoos shutting down, money becomes a problem when there are lots of hungry mouths to feed. A couple of zoos in Japan, North Safari Sapporo in Hokkaido, and Kamine Zoo in Hitachi take innovation to the next level.
By putting their most dangerously ferocious creatures to work, these zoos create their own fashion line – animal-torn jeans. The sales keep the animals fed and cared for during these lean times.
Lions, tigers, and bears attack and tear at denim wrapped around tires and other play toys which then get sewed into jeans, then auctioned off.
The North Safari Sapporo sells these one-of-a-kind “Zoo Jeans” for 70,000 yen (US$639). Check out this video. It’ll give you a taste of what an African safari might be like!
We’re sure the animals feel much better knowing they’re carrying their own weight during these tumultuous times.
Zoo officials said the material held up well, all things considered. “The denim was actually much tougher than we had thought, and it turned out nicely destroyed,” said zoo director Nobutaka Namae.
Fitbit Pay
Known for their wristband fitness trackers, Fitbit evolved their wearable devices to keep up with the times.
Cleanliness is king and we can all agree the less contact we make with anything going about our day-to-day routine, all the better.
Similar to Apple Pay, you just hold your wrist near the contactless payment terminal and authorize your purchase with the push of a button.
With Fitbit Pay, you can already link your credit and debit cards to certain Fitbit devices, including the Fitbit Charge 4, Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Versa 2, Fitbit Versa Special Edition, and Charge 3 Special Edition.
PULSE – NASA’s Early Warning Pendant
Apparently, our space agency doesn’t want us touching our faces so much, and they were also inspired by Covid-19 to innovate.
The rocket scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA created this 3D-printed stylish piece of jewelry that uses a vibration “nudge” if it detects you reaching for your face.
Called PULSE, the goal, of course, is to keep us from spreading Covid-19 by keeping our little mitties away from our faces after touching an infected surface.
Designed to be worn 6-12 inches below the chin, the wearer’s hand motion will set it in action and give you a gentle reminder you’re headed to the no-go zone.
As their disclaimer, The designs have not been reviewed, cleared, or approved by FDA or other regulatory authorities, nor have they received Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Emergency Use Authorizations for Medical Devices.
Hey, if there’s anything NASA knows how to do better than anyone, it’s calculations. We’re confident this operates as expected and is one of our top safety ideas inspired by Covid-19.
Delivery Robots
Delivery robots have been rearing their metal heads making news here and there, but now Covid-19 has brought the future of robots much closer to us. How do we know? We see these actually delivering pizzas.
In Phoenix, Ariz., residents within a half-mile radius of Venezia’s New York Style Pizza can even get their pizza delivered by a robot. At the forefront of these adorable delivery bots is a company called Starship Technologies.
Starship has been around and operating for years, but Covid-19 has seen a surge in demand for robot delivery and they’ve exceeded 100,000 successful deliveries to date.
Starship robots are advanced devices that can carry items within a 4-mile (6km) radius and they move at pedestrian speed.
Weighing no more than 100 pounds, they’re inherently safe and can navigate around objects and people.
So if you chance upon one of these little fellows, please don’t mess with them. They’re on a mission and all bets are out the door if you cross someone waiting for their pizza.
Pool Noodles For Social Distancing
Here’s a fun idea inspired by Covid-19. You Recall at the beginning of this story we mentioned racking the ‘ol noodle for ideas. Well, someone literally did – using pool noodles as a way to keep your distance.
The trend started at The Café Rothe in the quaint German town of Schwerin. Styled into hats, it would be very difficult to break the 6-foot rule.
Boss Jacqueline Rothe personally distributes distance-measuring hats to ensure the necessary safety for all.
Some guests get a little perturbed wearing the noodles. “You don’t want to trouble the owner,” some say. Apparently, Jacqueline means business.
It’s also apparent the beer and pastries are exceptional since grumpy folks just can’t seem to stay away. But we think they secretly enjoy wearing these hats.
The Irish pubs are trying a different take on their social distancing hats. Doesn’t seem to be going well.
