F. S. Pantalone’s Weblog

Goolge and Specialized Bicycle’s “Innovate or Die” challenge.

The challenge is to invent and build machines that transform pedaling energy into new and useful forms.

At first glance, the winner of the innovate or die contest, The Aquaduct Team, seemed to be one of the only contestants who had a somewhat original useful idea and actually went ahead and built it. Most other contestants with original ideas basically posted their drawing board.

I believe that The Aquaduct Team truly deserved to win the contest but don’t necessarily have a fool proof idea. Their product is great as long as they and be easily distributed and maintained in third world countries.

Some of the other idea were very interesting, but didn’t have explanations of how they worked. For example, the human-electric hybrid vehicle has this crazy idea but they don’t really show the mechanics of how this is a bike and how it even works. So, I’m not sure what their steps would even be to put their concept into production, or if it is even possible; it may just be an idea that looks fancy with the wheels going over your head.