Product Inspiration

This system, which has been in the works for a few years now, harnesses wind power to save fuel costs for big ocean-going shipping vessels. A large kite-like sail is attached to the ship, and provides extra power to get the boat across the ocean in less time and fuel costs. The first of these sails (which are being developed by multiple different companies) will set sail this year.

Here’s my two favorite things about this technology:

1) Its practically ‘money for nothing’- the system pays for itself in 3 years, and the user reaps the profit for every year thereafter which it is still functional.

2) It borrows from the older version of the same product. While it doesn’t happen often, sometimes the best innovations for a current product (intercontinental shipping) may be inspired by an outdated design (sailboats) of the same product.

What other products could be improved by applying older design aspects to the current form?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/go_fly_a_kite_from_your_ship.p hp