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The G3 Archive - some of the stuff you missed!
Even older stuff - 2005/06 here 2003/04 here and 1999/02 here
Click the date in the first column to hear the show

Date
Feb '08

The February show opens with a call to Calfornia to talk to Donald R Brewer from Phosphor Watches to find out about their revolutionary e-ink Ana-Digi watch (left)

Electronic ink is a proprietary material that is processed into a film for integration into electronic displays. The principal components of electronic ink are millions of tiny microcapsules, about the diameter of a human hair. Each microcapsule contains positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles suspended in a clear fluid. When a negative electric field is applied, the white particles move to the top of the microcapsule where they become visible to the user. This makes the surface appear white at that spot. At the same time, an opposite electric field pulls the black particles to the bottom of the microcapsules where they are hidden. By reversing this process, the black particles appear at the top of the capsule, which now makes the surface appear dark at that spot.

e-ink gives this lovely watch 8 different faces - $250 from Phosphor Watches

I then meet Sarah Adam the daughter of the inventor of the howsar lock.

Although not intended to replace permanent locks, the Howsar Lock provides an additional basic barrier and deterrent protection against intruders.

Made from durable reinforced nylon – makes it compact, sturdy, lightweight and inexpensive. It's simple and quick to install and release – matter of seconds and no need for any tools and works with nearly all internal doors

The Lock is inaccessible from outside the room - provides tamper proof security. The door will be secure even if someone has the key. Ideal for travellers – small and lightweight with no metal parts to give problems at customs! Easily carried in pocket or handbag – fits into palm of the hand. The Howsar Lock costs just £4.99 (uk customers) £6.30 (EU customers) and £6.70 (US and worldwide customers) inclusive of postage and packing .

I then review something you can't easily buy - the Finger Maxx (left) The Fingermaxx is the world's first miniature finger wrench. It is sophisticated, highly versatile and virtually indestructible. It's easy to use and will fit any finger size. The Fingermaxx is made of a high impact special plastic composition. It works marvelously while applying light pressure with your finger.

The p&p was so great from the USA - I bought 5 and am giving 3 of them away - Just tell me what colour it is!

Entries to me at dave.raven@bfbs.com

Finally I talk to Kalle Haglunds from Sailonline about their highly addictive online sail racing challenge.

This offers online offshore sailracing as you have never experienced it. With super realistic boat performance, state of the art wind forecasts and realtime chat you will have the ultimate online sailracing experience.

Whether you are an experienced offshore racer or you have never been on a yacht this is a truly challenging game.

Free to download the software and take part - on the right you can see a screen grab of the 352 strong fleet leaving Stockholm on the first leg of the race to St Petersburg. The wind shifted unexpectedly around midnight I got my night-time delayed commands terribly wrong and dropped 70 places in the fleet.

Jan '08

The January show was to come from the excellent Design and Innovatiobs show at Earls Court, Top Drawer. However, although there were hundreds of great stands and many old friends of the programme were exhibiting there was nothing really that fitted the programme remit of Games, Gadgets & Gizmos.

So I felt it was time to revisit someone I first spoke to 8 years ago when he was starting the business; Tim Booth of iwantoneofthose.com The company has grown a lot in the 8 years and still excels in having a great range of items described in their own words as "stuff you don't need ...... but, really really want"

One item which is one of their best sellers is the Sound Asleep Pillow - right. Lying in bed and drifting off to sleep listening to your favourite music is heaven. It's not so much fun for your partner of course, and even less fun for you if, as inevitably happens, you end up throttling yourself on your headphone cord, or wake up with aching ears from wearing ear buds too long.

Enter the Sound Asleep Pillow, an ingenious and deeply comfortable pillow that has buried deep within it a speaker. Inaudible to anyone except the dozer, the pillow has a phone jack at one end that will plug into your iPod/MP3 player, and plays your music gently through the pillow. Now your partner can sleep in peace, and you can listen to whatever you like! Nodding off has never been so wonderfully self-indulgent. Just £19.99 for a wonderful night's sleep.


I then talk to Anthony Smith who isn't selling his Disintegrator - Yet ! The disintegrator (left) is the world's first, fully-automatic, 288-shot, motorised, cordless double rubber band minigun.

The DISINTEGRATOR is capable of firing more than 40 rounds per second (2400 rounds per minute) from its 24 revolving barrels. It takes around an hour to reload but the video on his website is amazing. This last week it has hit No #1 Top Rated, Top Favourites and Most Viewed in YouTube's whole Science and Technology category. See it here - disintegrator
You can't buy it yet - but if you fancy manufacturing it, contact Anthony.

Finally to another old friend who we first spoke to back in 2001.Adam Norton from Gizmo & Widget with a roundup of the great fun and quirky items on their website.

One of my favourites the the Control-A-Man remote control. (Right) Every modern home is littered with remote controls. Many of them are for appliances that have broken or become obsolete. Here’s one that most women would love to use on another dodgy domestic machine. Operating instructions: Point subject at remote. Select button and push. Hope for the best. Batteries not included. Or required. Powered by positive thinking. Absolutely super for £3.99

The Wedding Slinger is another mad toy. Here comes the bride...… and the groom! A novel alternative to confetti. With the Wedding Slinger, you can send tiny plastic newlyweds sailing through the air above the real happy couple. Just load the 1-1/2" plastic brides and grooms into the catapult device and pull the trigger. Great for stag/hen parties or the big day. Four different figures included. Just £4.99

Dec '07

The December show is a roundup of the best of the year.

First I meet Matteo Margaroli the inventor of Pin-It. This little magnet about a centimetre long and just a few millimetres thick can be used to fasten things to anything. With superstrong magnets you can attach notes onto any wall while common magnets would need a metal surface.

The tiny PIN-IT can easily be inserted into the wall. Once inserted you can attach your notes onto your ordinary wall using ordinary metal objects you have handy (e.g. a hairpin, paperclip or spoon) instead of magnets, as the wall is now has its own magnetism. PIN-IT also presents a practical and attractive way to attach your notes, messages or notices to any metal or magnetic surface, such as fridges, filing cabinets, whiteboards, etc.. £3.99 for a set of 9

Next, we look at making your own green fuel and we meet Chris Elvey, director of Ecotec Resources UK or etruk who sell equipment to make your own green fuel. Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

The government recently announced that each person can produce up to 2,500 litres of Biodiesel per year tax free.

Biodiesel is a perfectly suitable replacement for fossil diesel, in fact it has better lubrication qualities than fossil diesel and recent tests by Porsche on behalf of Mercedes proclaimed that the qualities of Biodiesel could extend an engines life considerably.

You can start making your own diesel for as little as 15p a litre and the unit should pay for itself within the first 9 months.

I then meet Pater Cooney, the MD of Gold Leaf Gloves who tells me what makes his gardening gloves so special.
In his opinion, there are a number of inadequacies with most gloves currently marketed as gardening gloves:
POOR FIT: gloves currently being sold as gardening gloves often do not fit very well, particularly those sold as ladies.
UNCOMFORTABLE: many existing gardening gloves can be fairly cumbersome and uncomfortable.
NO FEEL: there is limited dexterity in most of the current products, resulting in a lack of feel, because often the leather used to make these gloves is industrial grade leather which tends to be fairly low in quality.
His Gold Leaf Gardening Glove range solves all of these problems, by bringing together some unique and innovative designs, made from exceptionally high quality leather (usually only seen in very expensive fashion gloves), which is both comfortable and durable.

Finally I meet Andy Manuel who shows me the revolutionary milli-grip - (right) The very first adjustable spanner was invented in the 1840s by an Englishman and improvements over the years have made it a popular tool. Unfortunately, because of the traditional winding mechanism for opening and closing the jaws, it can slip and thus round the head of the nut or bolt being worked on or, even worse, severely hurt the user’s hand.

This 2006 Gold Medal winner redefines adjustable spanners with this metric spanner in one precision tool. It has a very quick and easy one-handed operation and once set the jaws can't move. The jaws are smooth, not serrated, so they can't damage the nut or bolthead.

The milli-grip is manufactured in high strength chrome vanadium and is also useful as a set of callipers. There are currently two metric models available. Each with the traditional 8” (200mm) handle, the first has jaws opening up to 24mm for everyday jobs, whilst the jaws of the second open up to a full 32mm for bigger, professional applications such as plumbing. They have recently added an imperial version for the US market, with 1” jaws opening in increments of 1/16”

£14.99 for the 24mm and 19.50 for the larger 32mm version.

Nov '07

The November programme comes again from the British Invention Show in the Alexandra Palace in North London.

I first meet Sue Bell from Poopod which is a brand new dog walking device.

It is a comfortable hand held pod incorporating a pull n’ tear bag roll holder, a unique scented compartment to store used poo bags until they can be disposed of properly and a detachable lead all rolled into one good looking product.

No more walking the dog carrying a warm bag of poo! Having an all in one product is more convenient and quicker than gathering up necessary equipment to walk the dog.

The detachable lead allows you to use either the lead or the Poopod separately if required. You can also use your own lead or a multi lead if preferred. From £10.99


Then I meet Erik Crommelynck the CEO of PinQY®

PinQY is a small yet very powerful tool that comes in handy when you have the beginnings of a fire at hand. Its unique spherical shape gives PinQY the same extinguishing capacity as a 1 kg extinguisher!

With its lightweight and practical design, PinQY is simple to use and easy to handle. It takes up little space, which means that PinQY® is not only also suitable for smaller living spaces (such as student rooms), it can also be placed right in any area that runs the risk of catching fire.

As it is lightweight and does not require much strength to handle, PinQY can also be used by children, the elderly and the disabled.

Its pleasing design and gadget-like nature also make PinQY a perfect present for your children, friends and family.

The Crisp Bar is the brain child of Caroline Oakley. The idea was born out of the frustration from having greasy hands after eating bags of crisps and having to use two hands to eat them. Being a new mother, her time and hands were both full.

The Crisp Bar does not use a binding agent in its manufacturing process so you can still enjoy Britain's favourite snack without fear of any additional additives altering the flavour. Although primarily conceived as a potato crisp bar the patent process embodies all root vegetables so new and interesting combinations could be developed.

Crisps are the UK's favourite snack with Britains spending over £1.4 billion pounds per year. That is in excess of 8 billion packets per year or 150 bags per person. This makes the Crisp Bar a very lucrative innovation and a very appealing product to the customer.

I then talk to Gregor from PEVC in Slovenia. They have developed the Tsunami, a boat that uses its underwater wings to generate lift in the same way that a plane uses wings to generate lift.

This lift elevates the hull from the surface of the watyer, supporting it on vertical struts attached to the wings underneath.

When the critical speed is reached, the entire body of the hull sails along without touching the water so with a small outboard you can reach speeds of near 20mph.

The machine is very light, only 60kg plus the weight of the engine and can be broken down to fit in the boot of a car.

Finally, I meet Malachi McKenna from DK Products about the patented Plant Growing System that increases the chance for young plants or crops to mature in areas where soils are poor and water is scarce. It's cost effective due to the systems ability to work without any need for power and saves on water consumption by not over feeding the plant. Keen gardeners, plant nurseries, garden centres and PYO farms may use this system as a nursery tool. The Plant Growing System may also provide a part solution for families living in countries where there is a constant threat of drought.

The growing system has a row of several cells where a pressure plate and reservoir containing the water sits. As the reservoir empties, so the pressure plate rises and opens the water inlet valve. The water is naturally siphoned from the external water source and enters the reservoir through the water inlet valve. As the weight of the water in the reservoir increases the pressure plate sinks back, switching off the inlet water valve.

The growing system is portable when free from growing plants and is suited to both indoor or outside use.

Oct '07

This month the whole show comes from the British Invention Show in the wonderful Alexandra Palace in North London.

I first meet Edward van Noord who shows me how his very clever 1-2-3stop-fire works.

You mount the 1-2-3 Stop-Fire on a wall near a tap and in the event of a fire you just unclip it from the wall - as seen left, slide the red sheath over the tap as far as possible. Attach the elastic to the handles of the tap and pull tightly in opposite directions.

Take the red cassette in one hand and turn on the tap with the other hand, walk away pulling the hose out the cassette quickly in order to activate the water spray.

The hose is 10 metres log and it gives a spray of nearly 6 metres

Around £15 when it becomes available in the UK. This is a great way to have a hosepipe instantly available for emergencies in the house or garden

Then I meet Emily Bell the inventor of the Oarsome Potential. Rowing has seen a lot of technical development in the last 50 years. Hull design has progressed in leaps and bounds in terms of water speed, stability and the ability to win races.

Training methods have developed with precision and sophistication. Blades can be finely balanced and tuned. But a crucial interface between the rower and the boat has been neglected: the hands, and the way they are used with the oars, have not received the attention they deserve ... until now. The top picture shows a conventional oar and below Emily's invention.

The OP handle is an ergonomically efficient redesign by minimising the friction on the hands makes it easier to increase the stroke rate quickly.

The handle represents a major gain in comfort for rowers with little or no blistering (the friction caused by using conventional oar handles almost guarantees discomfort) and a much more natural movement. The OP is not yet in full pruduction but if you are interested, contact Emily who will be happy to talk to you.

Then I meet Andy Manuel who shows me the revolutionary milli-grip - (right) The very first adjustable spanner was invented in the 1840s by an Englishman and improvements over the years have made it a popular tool. Unfortunately, because of the traditional winding mechanism for opening and closing the jaws, it can slip and thus round the head of the nut or bolt being worked on or, even worse, severely hurt the user’s hand.

This 2006 Gold Medal winner redefines adjustable spanners with this metric spanner in one precision tool. It has a very quick and easy one-handed operation and once set the jaws can't move. The jaws are smooth, not serrated, so they can't damage the nut or bolthead.

The milli-grip is manufactured in high strength chrome vanadium and is also useful as a set of callipers. There are currently two metric models available. Each with the traditional 8” (200mm) handle, the first has jaws opening up to 24mm for everyday jobs, whilst the jaws of the second open up to a full 32mm for bigger, professional applications such as plumbing. They have recently added an imperial version for the US market, with 1” jaws opening in increments of 1/16”

£14.99 for the 24mm and 19.50 for the larger 32mm version.

Finally I meet Bob Jackson who shows me his invention. A replaceable blade saw that means that you don't have to throw the whole saw away when it becomes blunt, just replace the blade as you do with a hacksaw - below

Because of the way the blade is attached it means that a range of different saw blades can be attached, even a HSS steel cutting blade. Already in production and soon to be in the shops - I saw a B&Q logo on one of the samples; this means that you can carry a range of saw blades in your tool box with just one saw body

Sep '07

This month the whole show comes from the design show called Top Drawer at Olympia.

I first meet Graham Noble the MD of Revolve, a company that recycles items from fruit drinks cartons to printed circuit boards and makes them into new things like drinks coasters, clocks and clipboards.

Most PCBs are produced in large volumes by electronics manufacturers and ultimately become either obsolete or fail stringent control checks, after which they are incinerated or dumped into landfill sites. It is these circuit boards that Revolve rescue and use to make their unique products. Each of the recycled PCBs is cut into shapes and is hand finished to create the final product. This is to ensure no sharp edges are left. The boards can generally be cut into any 2 dimensional shape and can be used to create bespoke promotional designs.Items start from around £5 and you can find out more at www.revolve-uk.com

Next I meet David Walsh who told me that when he contacted his stepbrother in Australia after 25 years, he could never have imagined that it would result in the birth of his own company. Following a reunion at their family vineyard, Wirruna, in Victoria, John and Sandra Woodhouse introduced their daughters, Tracey and Joanne. Joanne had created handcrafted soap made from wine lees, a natural by-product of the wine making process. In 2003 she formed her own company, The Curly Vine. Incorporating wine lees from her family Wirruna Estate, Joanne and her father developed three soaps, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, which were an immediate success. David now sells them here in the UK with prices starting at around £4 - more details at www.curlyvine.co.uk/

I then meet Pater Cooney, the MD of Gold Leaf Gloves who tells me what makes his gardening gloves so special.
In his opinion, there are a number of inadequacies with most gloves currently marketed as gardening gloves:
POOR FIT: gloves currently being sold as gardening gloves often do not fit very well, particularly those sold as ladies.
UNCOMFORTABLE: many existing gardening gloves can be fairly cumbersome and uncomfortable.
NO FEEL: there is limited dexterity in most of the current products, resulting in a lack of feel, because often the leather used to make these gloves is industrial grade leather which tends to be fairly low in quality.
His Gold Leaf Gardening Glove range solves all of these problems, by bringing together some unique and innovative designs, made from exceptionally high quality leather (usually only seen in very expensive fashion gloves), which is both comfortable and durable.

Finally I meet Seren from The Pocket Garden.

This allows you to give a loved one or friend a gift that will become a permanent reminder. Supplied in a sealed leak-proof bag the PG contains specially formulated compost and seeds that once cut open, just require water to germinate allowing them to grow a beautiful houseplant.
Their collection of Pocket Garden’s provide a great gift for any occasion or even a great way to grow the products yourself.

More information from The Pocket Garden.

Aug '07

The August show is on the road and we start with a trip to Brentford to meet David Cormack of Electruc - a low cost, environmentally friendly electric utility vehicle designed for inner city use.

The advantages include: exemption from congestion charge, free parking in many London Boroughs, no road tax, charges from standard 13amp socket & free charging facilities in some areas.

The running cost of only 2-3p per mile, the truck is easy to manoeuvre, it has a range of up to 60 miles and a top speed of 30mph. Payloads range from 300kg to 530kg depending on body type. Depending on body type, the Electruc is around £9,000

Next, we look at making your own green fuel and we meet Chris Elvey, director of Ecotec Resources UK or etruk who sell equipment to make your own green fuel. Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

The government recently announced that each person can produce up to 2,500 litres of Biodiesel per year tax free.

Biodiesel is a perfectly suitable replacement for fossil diesel, in fact it has better lubrication qualities than fossil diesel and recent tests by Porsche on behalf of Mercedes proclaimed that the qualities of Biodiesel could extend an engines life considerably.

You can start making your own diesel for as little as 15p a litre and the unit should pay for itself within the first 9 months.

After all this 'green' we talk to Nick Meade of TankLimo and Tanks-A-Lot who has welded two APCs together to make the world's first tank limousine .

A bit of a special not only fitted with a turret for when it was on the Berlin wall, and one of only 13 ever made but she also had some strange mine laying or clearing gismo on its rear which was binned. Nick decided on gloss white, chopped a few windows in the side fitted smoked glass fridge; twin DVD's, reversing cameras and completely re trimmed the interior. He found the army had left the massive diesel powered crew heater in one of the 432s so he threw that in as well.

As for price, best sit down quick £1600 - £4000 plus hire of a low loader to ship her to your area and an excess mileage charge if the mileage starts getting serious. But wow what an entrance and who knows maybe the safest way to travel round London.

July '07

July opens with a trip to the bathroom. Only three months after we talked to the inventor of the Future Toilet that lowers the seat when you flush, I now meet Carlton Brown, Joe Parker and John Benedict from Sink Positive who have invented the toilet fitting that replaces the cistern lid with an automatic tap and hand basin.

Using the Sinkpositive eliminates the need for additional water use at the bathroom sink, and therefore, reduces the amount of waste water going down the drain.

The sink automatically runs with the toilet’s fresh water refill cycle after each flush meaning there are no knobs or handles to touch after hand washing reducing hand-transmitted diseases. Also, the elimination of tap handles gives a welcome relief for persons with arthritis.

This patented accessory sink simply retrofits to your toilet’s existing plumbing in minutes without special tools or a plumber. Starting and stopping automatically after each flush, Sinkpositive will amaze you with how simple and practical a product this is! Just $100 from SinkPositive

Want to take your own sailing boat on holiday? I meet Rowan Brook from Minicat - an inflatable catamaran weighing under 40 kg and assembled in just 30 mins.

It is a small and light, but full-bodied, fun sailing boat for two people. Fully portable it fits into a single bag (1,350 x 280 x 280 mm). So you don’t have the worry of a trailer or even a roof-box. Simply load the bag into your car - and go.

With MiniCat the endless queuing for slipways is over. Long term mooring fees are non existent. Slippage fees are a thing of the past. As for storage out of season, or even in season – do you have a shed or a garage - a cellar or an attic – a store room or a large cupboard?

Aluminium Mast and frame with a 3.75sqm Main and 1.4sqm Jib and can take 2 people. The main only version is £2,450 and for £100 more you get the Super at £2,550.

You can also take it on a plane as sports goods for around £20 a sector, so you can have your own sailing boat on your hols without having to wait in line for a rental boat on the beach.

Click the video above to see the boat go from bag to ready for launch in 30 mins.

Then I speak to Stuart Wright from Rattlebuster. This is a CD which by generating different tones can help to identify rattles and squeaks in your car.

This CD-Kit provides you with a powerful “ToneEngine” that enables you to simulate Road-Induced-Car-Vibration, using your vehicle's CD-Sound-System. The ToneEngine provides you with a specific range of sound frequencies or tones. Each tone has been extensively researched and specifically selected for its vibration generating characteristics.

You can buy on-line from Rattlebuster for just £9.95

June '07

The June show comes from Pulse at Earls Court.

I first meet Ben Petit from Alphabet Jigsaws Each jigsaw piece is hand lettered, numbered or detailed accordingly to very attractive effect. In using animal shapes popular with young children, they hope to have enhanced the jigsaw concept that has captivated the young and old for so many generations - see England jigsaw on left - click it to see bigger.

The jigsaw puzzles are suitable for 3 to 10 year olds and there are four distinct ranges to choose from. Included in the price of each model is a brightly coloured cotton bag in which to store the pieces after opening. All paints and primers used are child safe and non toxic. All the wood is sourced from sustainably grown forests.

Prices range from £10 to £35 for the large maps - like the one on the left.

Then I talk to Richard Loke about his great Mobiky Genius The Genius (below) is easy to handle, enabling the commuter to move rapidly in city congestion, and at the same time ensuring comfort, stability and reliability.

Changing from the folded position to riding position is very simple. In less than 3 seconds Genius can be folded and unfolded. It is carried out with a smooth simple movement with no risk of pinching or getting your hands dirty. There is no need for tools.

The Genuis can offer its owners a wide choice of adjustments possible. The rider can change the height for a cyclist from 52 inches to 72 inches and maximum load up to 230lbs.

Mobiky Genius offers the same gearing as a full size bike, by using a two stage drive and a 3 speed hub gear. You can buy online - the bike retails at £449.00

Then I talk to Rebecca Otero from mrjoneswatches.com This range of striking limited edition watches not only tell the time but also help you make up your mind, set your mood or makes the arrogant person more humble and makes the very humble more confident.

The Decider (right) helps you to make decisions - think of the choice you need to make and the look at the watch to see whether it is displaying "YES" or "NO" (if you are inclined to cheat then you can pull the winding crown out which stops the mechanism giving you an answer with no ambiguity).

All the watches are available for purchase from early July priced at £79.99 (plus £2.49 p&p) in a limited numbered edition of 100 pieces.

Case made from stainless steel with a two-tone black and red leather strap, with white stitching. Watch face diameter 35mm.

Next I talk to Adam Ellis from Scoop who plans to bring a new elegance and style to the traditional ice cream van. It's still in the early stages but click the link above to see his website and learn more about the project.

Going by the crowd around his stand at Ear's Court, this is going to be a huge success.

Finally to someone who I met 3 years ago when she was starting out, Calypso Rose (the London Young Business Person of the Year in 2003 ), is the inventor of Clippykit the range of PVC accessories you customise yourself.

Fill the pockets of a bag with fabric, a file with photos, a brolly with bows. Pin badges round the edges and ribbons round the handles. Scrapbook a day away (use their kit-bits for starters) because Clippykits are huge fun to do, touchingly personal and guaranteed to raise a smile.

Pictured right is the Mini Rucksack which is suitable for ages 3 and up and a finalist for Gift of the Year.

This retails at £20.00 and the smaller clippykits start at around £8

May '07

May opens with a visit to Tottenham Court Road. Mark Sanderson in Cyprus had asked if it was still an electronics mecca and still good value. So I went to look.
It's still as big as it was, about 500 metres of shops , the majority selling electronics. Not one shop would record an interview and my feeling, at the end of an hour and a half in all the shops, is that unless you know exactly what you want and are prepared to go from shop to shop getting their 'best price' then you are probably better shopping on the net.

I talk to Ian Shiels, one of the phonenotphone team at Dundee University about their concept range of communication devices like the m:ssage above. What started as a university project seems to developed a life of its own. You can't get these products yet, but watch this space !

I then speak to Chris Proczkowsky the MD of ProEco. This company has a great selection of eco-friendly products and I first used it around 5 years ago when I bought the Eco Balls that replace washing detergents.

Chris talks about some of the newer items in the range especially the OneClick Intelligent Mains Panel. (right) This innovative device automatically shuts power to peripherals connected to a desktop PC/ Mac (monitors, printers, scanners, speakers etc.) when the desktop computer is shut down, either on standby or closed down completely. Power to the peripherals is reinstated automatically as soon as the computer is powered back up. The Intelligent Mains Panel will also safeguard against power surges and includes a telephone/ modem splitter.
The Intelligent Mains Panel is so effective in saving energy that it has been officially recognised by the Energy Savings Trust (EST).
Retails at £24.99 and ProEco is offering a 10% discount to all BFBS listeners on any purchases from their website - just type in BFBS in the promotional code box in the checkout and you get 10% off all goods.

Is your family’s food as fresh as it should be? Never guess again. I talk to Marco Bonné the CEO of FQS International the makers of the SensorfreshQ™ that easily confirms the freshness of uncooked meat or poultry in less than a minute.

SensorfreshQ™ is a revolutionary, affordable, portable, handheld electronic “nose” that uses leading-edge sensor technology to quickly measure the bacteriological activity in uncooked meat or poultry.

In 3 steps, its sophisticated microprocessor takes over 2,000 readings in less than a minute and uses complex algorithms to determine the freshness level. A green light means it is fresh; yellow means okay but eat within two days; and red signals that freshness is no longer assured. SensorfreshQ™ is programmed to correlate with international standards for food freshness.

One replaceable sensor cartridge is included; it lasts for 200 readings, or roughly two months of standard meal preparation. $89.95 from the US and Marco hopes it will be available in the UK later in the year.


Apr '07

April begins in the field as I talk to Anna Price about MozzyOff. The vicious battle against midges and mosquitoes is over! MozzyOff Cocktail is an innovative, new and completely natural insect repellent which has been road tested by military personnel.

Made from plant oils, it offers you up to six hours protection from biting insects such as midges and mosquitoes, black fly and gnats. Its water resistant and unlike chemical based products, MozzyOff Cocktail repellent will not harm synthetic materials. MozzyOff Cocktail is also biodegradable and the packaging is recycled and recyclable so its good news for the environment too.

MozzyOff Cocktail is kind to your skin and its inherent soothing properties mean that it will relieve the itch of previous bites and stop you getting bitten again.

They already supply Strathclyde Police, the Forestry Commission, Trossachs Mountain Rescue and the World Wildlife Fund - all people who are susceptible to mozzy attack! Avaiable on-line and in many large shops £3.95 for the travel version and £9.95 for the 100ml family pack.

Then I speak to Henrik Vester the CEO of Nanocover. This revolutionary new technology enables any type of surface to be ptotected. In the home, for the car or boat the wide range of products protect stone, wood, fabrics, plastic, fibreflass, metal and aluminium.
If it can't be touched, it can't be ruined. The above picture shows a shirt that has had one side treated and you can see that the untreated side soaks up the stain while on the treated side it lies on the surface.
Using nanotechnology, you apply a protective surface to the things that you want to protect. NanoCover's nanoparticles measure about 50 millionths of a millimetre - and when you see the products they look just like clean water.

The result is a range of revolutionary products that save you elbow grease and worries, and give you more time to enjoy the results. Because the products merge directly with the subsurface, they provide exceptional durability and protection. However, the treatment requires that you use the products correctly. Carelessness can mean that the particles do not merge with the materials on which they are designed to work. Soon to be available by mail order in the UK and Germany.

Finally I talk to Bob Hennessy the inventor of the Future Toilet. This is designed to keep everyone in the house happy ensuring that the toilet seat is always left in a down position.

When a man uses the toilet he pushes a lever on the side - this raises the seat and cover. When he's finished he flushes as usual and the seat returns to the closed position.

See it work on youtube - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzhc0-6kFMM

Mar '07

We start the March show in the kitchen with the innovative Anylock re-usable food bags (above) which incorporate the unique sealing rods that work with the supplied heavy duty bags or on packs of breakfast cereals, rice, pasta etc. A set of 8 bags and rods starts at £12.00

I talk to Tony Welton of Scott Brothers who import the Anylocks into the UK who tells me how the same clever sealer is incorporated in the CooLock pouch and small travel bag (left). Great for the beach or outdoor activities to keep your valuables dry and free from dust or sand. Around £12 for the two bags

Finally Tony tells me about the KwikTwist. A sponge covered wire that with 3 quick twists ties anything to anything. For roof racks, boats, in the garden or camping they are more practical than cable ties, quicker than rope and can be screwed together to make longer lengths - £12 for 2

Then to Windsor to meet Danielle Mattey from Atec Associates who shows me the Hitch (right), a little device that allows you to plug any 2 USB items together to transfer data. Audio, pictures, movies, files of any type.

It has a scroll wheel for easy navigation with a backlit LCD screen, it reads MP3 Tag info and digital camera PTP Databases. It Charges USB Devices too and is only let down by its USB 1 transfer rates. I hear that a USB 2 version is planned. Available from www.wi5.com for £69.95

Finally I talk to Vahakn Mattossian about his inspired electrici-tree

Vahakn tells me the reasoning behind his invention. "Electrici-tree is a physical representation and reminder of how much electricity we are using. Its organic aesthetics are a gentle reminder of the nature around us, and what we are polluting with our over-use of power"

The master plug glows when power is flowing and can be turned off simply by hitting the cover.

Not yet in production but Vahakn hopes that it may be available later in the year.

Feb '07

The February programme returns to Top Drawer, the best of the innovative design companies in the UK and across Europe. I meet Sean Henry the MD of Cubelite who shows me the new additions to the range and why CubeLite is great for capturing images for promotional use. It reduces unsightly shadows and reflections in your photographs, saves time in retouching of images on the PC. Takes control of your photography and presents your products how you want to see them; it gives consistent looking images and you also own the copyright to your images. From £50 for the entry level with the full Cubelites including the lighting starting at about £200 from http://www.cubelite.co.uk.

Worried about waste? Here in the UK the move away from polythene bags being given free in supermarkets continues but there is still much to be done. I talk to Dan Brousson from Onya Bags. A brilliant solution that is with you for every shopping trip, is as convenient as a plastic bag and not bulky to carry around. Made from strong parachute material, they have vibrant colours and simply stuff away into their own pouch and fit on your front door key. From £6.50 each at http://www.onyabags.co.uk/

Talking Tables were featured on the show around 4 years ago just after they first started. The've come a long way in that time. I talk to Catherine Calhoun, the Marketing Manager about their new range. The Ice Fountain is a superb climax to any celebration Placed in the cake, the Ice Fountain will emit silver sparkles for up to 30 seconds. 3 Ice Fountains in a pack for £5.50. No bangs in the Box Clever. This General Knowledge four box has the questions based on WHO, WHAT, WHEN and WHERE... the fantastic subject matter will entertain you and all your guests... 4 boxes with 240 questions and answers for £6.50 There is a huge range to cover everything from Weddings, Sophisticated Dinner Parties to Kids Parties all are available online from http://www.talkingtables.co.uk

Finally we meet up with Rebecca Jay from DodoPad who shows me her latest additions to the ever growing DodoPad range.

The Dodo Year planner and Dodo Wedding Planner are not yet in the shops, but will be very soon, in fact they are so new I haven't got a photo of them. Rebecca also told me of one of the huge successes of 2006 - the the Dodo Acad-Pad (left).

Ideal for scholars and students (common in larger towns and cities, but rarely sighted in the early daytime hours) and those teachers and lecturers labouring in the academic profession (or just inextricably hooked into the college year), the Acad-Pad is a close cousin of the well-established Dodo Pad and reflects the Acacademic year from September to August.

The 2007-08 edition will be available soon at £10.95 from http://www.dodopad.co.uk

Jan '07

The January programme is from Top Drawer, the best of the innovative design companies in the UK and across Europe. I start by meeting Norman Whiting from Tintamar who showed me the clever designs from France that alter the way we carry things around.

The VIP - the Very Intelligent Pocket is a handbag liner that makes changing bags and still ensuring you have all your important things on hand a matter of seconds. No more leaving your keys in the wrong bag and it also helps in organising your bag interior, so you can find your phone by feel because it's always in the same place in your handbag. From £22 at Quirkybags

The other clever bag is the Cyclobag that clips to your bike handlebars and comes in two shapes. The LP sized bag is very striking and comes with interchangeable front panels and the Laptop style is great for a medium sized computer plus other work items. From £38 again from Quirkybags

Then I meet Ramsey from Army Kid, a unique clothing collection for active, but stylish kids. Hard-wearing and practical clothing, including camouflage t-shirts, combat trousers, army jackets and lots of accessories for kids, from newborn to eleven years. 13 different slogans and 9 sizes to fit up to 11 years old from £12.00

Sue Sandberg is from Relax-UK and showed me hew new gadget to aid getting to sleep - the Glowtosleep . Whether it's for a full night's sleep or just for a nap, unique technology will help you fall asleep quickly, stay asleep and wake up feeling rested. Easy to use, just hold the inside of the Glo to Sleep near a light source for just 30 seconds, slip the mask on, look up at the glowing point, breathe deeply and evenly, feel your thoughts slow, your body relax and Glo to Sleep. £39.00 from the relax UK website.

Finally I meet Matteo Margaroli the inventor of Pin-It. This little magnet about a centemetre long and just a few millimetres thick can be used to fasten things to anything. With superstrong magnets you can attach notes onto any wall while common magnets would need a metal surface.

The tiny PIN-IT can easily be inserted into the wall. Once inserted you can attach your notes onto your ordinary wall using ordinary metal objects you have handy (e.g. a hairpin, paperclip or spoon) instead of magnets, as the wall is now has its own magnetism. PIN-IT also presents a practical and attractive way to attach your notes, messages or notices to any metal or magnetic surface, such as fridges, filing cabinets, whiteboards, etc.. £3.99 for a set of 9