The Fun Theory

Treadmills and exercise bikes at the gym are a great way for people to work out regardless of the conditions outside. The problem is that they're boring and monotonous, and there's no incentive to push yourself (unlike running outside, when there's always someone to try to catch up to). The solution: Treadmill Racing. Network a series of treadmills and exercise bikes so that each one knows how

What happens when you throw something in the trash? Well, a small gnome stores it underground, that's what happens. In a long trashcan with a monitor on top, deposited trash first falls to a platform with a blue-screen where pictures from several angles are taken and a 3d model of the trashed object is then built and inserted into a 3D animation where a gnome/monster stores the trash carefully. further interaction could be acomplished by enabling reaction from the gnome to sound or movement.

Submitted by Jose Garduno

Recycling is important, but imagine if we could actually see what happened to the cans and bottles after they're put into the machine. Today we hear some crushing sounds, but we miss out on the visual pleasure. Solution: The Recycling Crusher - the transparent recycling machine. Put your bottle in it and let it fascinate you with its effective flattening mechanisms.

Submitted by Tobias Fors, Sweden

Idea: Rewarding Speed Limit Signs - Submitted by Kevin Richardson (USA).

Can we get more people to obey the speed limit by making it fun to do? The idea here is capture on camera the people who keep to the speed limit. They would have their photos taken and registration numbers recorded and entered into a lottery. Winners would recieve cash prizes and be notified by post. Better still, the winnig pot would come from the people who were caught speeding.

The idea is made to solve the issue of people crossing the street on the red light. In my project the crosswalk is made from lighting floor panels which activate when you step on them. When the light is red they are in normal white colour, but when it turns green and someone steps on them, they change the colour. It would be very helpful because a lot of people don't wait for the green light and they risk their own and others' lives just to go few seconds faster.

Submitted by Aleksander Wnuk

Everyone loves a good laugh! I'm a smoker and can't stand seeing cigarette butts laying on the ground all around a "disposal unit". Let's say to get everyone to start USING the butt can we make one that makes you laugh! The "Unit" is the bottom half of a person. The bottom half of the person is bent over to expose their "buttocks" with an open crack for the disposal ("insert here"). When a person puts their cigarette butt in the disposal area (butt) it passes by a sensor to trigger the sound of a fart.

My idea is to use a rear end auto LED sign to promote polite visual driving language while in your car. Imagine a series of polite words that indicate your intent to turn left or to turn right, and thank others afterwards. Such politeness could change the way we interpret another drivers intent and could avoid prevent a lot of road rage.

Submitted by Mutope J Johnson

The disposal of cigarette butts is a major problem in our cities. Can fun make more people dispose of their butts? It's simple and fun. When a cigarette butt is disposed in the bin; the dragon in the glass dome on the top of the bin breathes out a small, fiery flame! A simple and fun way to promote proper disposal of cigarette butts.

Submitted by Andrew Varvel & Kathryn Willott

My idea is simple: we would encourage people to believe that there were very naughty, but very shy urban monkeys living in our public bins. These naughty monkeys love to eat what we throw away but being sensible people we don't want to encourage that kind of behaviour! So, official looking signs would be placed on our rubbish bins/trash cans advising people NOT to feed the monkey. The monkeys have no manners at all. This will never do! Every time someone puts in their rubbish a loud ''munch munch' or 'burp' will erupt from the bin.