Inventing Solution

Harmantaj sahota sahot111
103776105
Professor Oriet
10 march, 2013
Inventing solutions “To invent u need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” –Thomas Edison

Inventing solutions and inventions is familiar to us in science and engineering. We use the word ‘invention’ in creative endeavours such as mathematics, music, literature and sometimes in fine art too. In a broader context invention can be defined as the purposeful use of imagination, to satisfy a human need and making human life a lot easier. The timing and the underlying mental processes are the aspects of invention which specifically outline in relation to science and technology; these equally apply to wider sectors of problem solving and creativity. In this era even an eight year old kid could build all kind of things let it be ramps, toy cars and many mechanical gadgets. The most astonishing part is that all this can be done by using simple tools like scissors, duct tape, screwdriver etc.

A very important and vital requirement for an invention is a new ‘idea’ instead of reformulation of an existing idea. We often use the word ‘Innovation’ synonymously with invention yet there is whole lot of difference. An innovation only becomes an invention when it’s been put into practise. Many of the inventions do have the potential to solve practical problems or to satisfy human needs and make life easier, but they can only earn the title of innovation when they fulfil this potential of solving. This difference can only be elaborated by the distribution of electrical power according to alternating current. Nikola Tesla invented the poly-phase AC system in 1882 and sold his patent to Westinghouse electric and manufacturing company who further developed the concept into an innovative technology making Alternating Current power available for industrial use and street lighting.

There are different kinds of problem solving and inventing solutions techniques. Two major methods are creative problem solving and analytical problem solving. The creative problem solving is totally dependent upon on your creativity, ability and judgement and by asking the following questions to ourselves: - what all we know? What is wrong? What is the real problem? What is the best solution? And lastly how do we implement the solution? The other way of inventing solution and problem solving is analytically. The analytical problem solving is more exposed to scientific method and this method includes the following steps; firstly defining the problem and gathering facts about the project secondly developing a hypothesis on it and performing the test followed by evaluating the result. All these methods of problem solving will increase the chances of inventions.

Thomas Edison was one of the greatest inventors of all times. He was the best industrial leader of his time. A very famous and renowned inventor who lived during the 19th centuries, his inventions is still used in many different ways around the globe. Thomas Edison never received a very high education in contrast he was very mischievous. He always tried to find new ideas and his thinking was completely different from others. Most of its contributions were about practical electric lighting and phonograph was probably the only invention which wasn’t an improvement of another invention. Edison was the only American who had 1093 United States patents. Thomas Edison’s most successful invention was the phonograph, phonograph was invented in 1877. Phonograph was very different from the other inventions as this invention of his could record sounds and reproduces them. Edison found this unique of recording sounds, he originally recorded sounds onto tinfoil sheet that could record as well as reproduce sounds. The term phonograph meant sound writer which came from Greek words sound and voice. Edison being a businessman came up with an idea of using phonograph commercially, for advertisement and for earning money he started shows in different cities and charged money just to show a device which could record sound and reproduce it.

Another magnificent and astonishing invention of Thomas Alva Edison’s was the incandescent light bulb. It was an electric bulb which produced light by heating a filament at high temperature with the help of electricity. The filament was protected from oxidisation by filling in inert gas inside the glass bulb. The light bulb was provided with electricity by feed through wires embedded in the glass. These days these light bulbs come in a very wide range of sizes, voltage and light output varying from 0.5 to 300 volts. The filament used by Thomas Edison in his incandescent bulb was carbon as according to him it was the most appropriate one.

“Invention is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration” said by Edison, but perspiration more accurately comes from effort given and hard work to do an invention successfully. People often say that in this twenty first century most of the inventions are already done which is completely false as if we look at figures every year there are 20,000 new patents that to only in United Kingdom, although it’s not all about getting patents but to commercialize your ideas for human use. The original concept of inventions is not always swift and direct into working devices as history shows proves it that some inventions comes to reality as time passes for instance the parachute came into once the flight was possible. So one should never lose hope and instead of doing different things should do things differently.

900 words
References
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_a_edison.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph

class video

References: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_a_edison.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph class video