Progress...possibly!!

Interviews are underway. I (bianca) just finished my first two interviews, both of which were females. Learning is the process! and ohh how we are learning. I have learned that tons of people are experiencing the problme we are tackling. People misplace there lighters on a regular basis. The most common place people are losing there lighters are in social settings. Both of the females I interviewed said they often loss there lighter when they led it to a friend and then they just forget to ask for it back. A solution I did not think about that one of the girls brought up was useing matches. She said they are free at most places and its ok if you loss them cause you can just pick up some more from anywhere. After explaining our product and showing them a picture of it, I got the same response from both the girls. Thats pretty cool, for guys. One of the participants was an occational smoker and she said she doesn't ever clip anything to her pants. The other girl thought it was pretty cool but she would not have it on her pants but rather her backpack. She said that guys wouldn't mind cliping something to there jeans but girls is a different story. I have one more interview to do...wish me luck!!

Additons+++(Continued for pics)

Continued...

Schematic For Metal Bottle Opener

First Lighter Bottle Opener Prototype

Additons+++

Our first prototype was a success but now we have decided to add another element to this idea. A bottle opener. On one end you have your lighter holder and on the other the handy-dandy bottle opener. We have made two prototypes using pre made bottle openers and we've attached them to the lighter holders. An issue that arose is where exactly to attach the key chain.

Progress is on the outlook. Our final prototype might possibly accomplished next week. We have talked to the engineering department and they might be able to help us with the bottle opener part.

We have gone around asking people if they would be interested in purchasing our product...outlook is good.

The business model is our next assignment and we are excited to work it out and figure out the logistics of it all.

Observing previous approaches to problems from previous classes, Inno-Nation really liked the lighter holder key chain approach and problem. Two of our members being experienced smokers have noticed that there is a problem with loosing or having lighters pocketed by friends or co-workers. So we decided to come up with an idea to add the key chain holder design to a retractable key holder, to allow the user to hand out the lighter and guaranteeing its return to the lighter’s owner. These ideas resulted into the group’s first prototype, shown below, and our new Mantra “Keeping the Light Close”.

Figure 1: First Prototype

Researching online, we have found that our approach to this problem has already been taken (lighterleash.com). Looking into the products provided by this manufacturer, we noticed that the company took a lighter with a bottle opener (with experience of use we know these lighter bottle openers like this are of poor quality), and this lighter bottle opener is then permanently attached to the retractable key chain. When the lighter is done, the whole commodity will need to be tossed unlike the other design the company has where you can change the lighter.

From this, our team believes we can make a better design by making the lighter removable, and attaching a bottle opener to the lighter holder, allowing the user to change the lighter when it has met its life end.

After an exercise done in class, Inno-Nation believes that there is a large quantity of materials that don’t meet quality specifications are thrown away daily from clothing donators. From this, Inno-Nation is looking into ways to use this free and currently unusable material.

Ideas, I-deas, eye-deas

We just had a meeting and I feel like we are hit the ground running, at a very fast pace. We looked at all sorts of problems but I think we found the one problem that we want to solve, OFFICIALLY.

"Losing shit" as put in our meeting tonight. We want to stop losing stuff, we as human being are constantly misplacing things. I think we have all experienced losing a pencil in class, you remember it in your hand and you remember puting it down but you don't see it. It was your only pencil your freaking out. This rush of anxiety come over you and your in panic mode. Frantacly shuffling through the papers on your desk, you find it! It was under some random piece of paper. You feel stupid for a second and then go back to what you were doing.

Lets go back to the part where you just found that pencil: The feeling in that moment when you find something you've been looking for, its one of the most rewarding feelings. This is a type of "piece of mind". It's something we all long for!...it's that "thank god" moment in life. Now, weather it be a pencil or the love of your life, finding that "something" tends to make life much easier.

Our issue to resolve in most basic form: figure out a way to stop losing the tools we use everyday to prevent the anxiety of losing stuff.

possible solution:

Keep lighters, jac cards, keys, usb drives all together and all connected!

Grant McDaniel

A James Madison Engineer, I enjoy solving problems using creativity and a practival approach. I am a highly motivated student who can sufficiently manage project teams and work with a group of peers towards a common goal. I am extreamly excited about this Entrepreneurship class and can't wait to get stared on this start up project. In the past, I always loved generating ideas regarding how and why things in our world should be improved. I am looking forward to implementing some of my more innovative ideas and testing them in the marketplace.

Currently enrolled as a Junior in the James Madison School of Engineering. I have a minor in Mathematics. Have work experience from IT work in a small trucking company to interning at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Currently I am the team leader of my Senior Capstone Team. My favorite hobby is fishing.