List of concepts


ABOUT THIS PAGE:

This page represents ideas, concepts, or patents by Thomas An. Not a professional inventor, neither as prolific as others, it all started in the early 90s, with a scrapbook full of handsketches for concepts and designs; a symptom of always finding ergonomic faults and never feeling satisfied with what's existing. A few of these sketches were formalized over the years and now listed here; although some of the better ones are still on paper.



PEGASI ROVER - Patent# US7056185

This is a remote control (RC) toy which is essentially just an axle of only two complex wheels. Yes, it will freely roll sideways unless the user turns it along the path of rolling to counter against the careening; and that is the whole point!

The coils can spin to move it along its axis and the hubs themselves can rotate oposite to each other for turning. Having only two wheels, it is deliberately unstable and the challenge consists in the ability of the operator to navigate it. The vehicle also features some sensory automation such that pressing a stop button will engage in automatic stopping maneuvers. Also there is a fully auto mode where the user merely points to a direction and the vehicle uses its onboard computer, compass, and operator position to navigate itself.

Pegasi Rover on a track

ASCETI STRENGTH SYSTEM - Patent# US6402670

This is the simplest possible exercise device, that can fold to fit in a backpack and can train all major bodyparts as intensely as gym barbells and machines, but can do so anywhere. You can take it hiking and work out there.

The weight used is your OWN bodyweight. The beams form geometries that send amplified or reduced portions of your bodyweight to the corresponding muscle group during exercise. A list of training postures is shown in the next page as well as in a downloadable PDF.

Asceti Strength System prototype

MATHmoth Odyssey game

This is essentially a game where the user needs to solve arithmetic in order to navigate and needs to do so fast enough before the moth/caterpillar hits an obstacle and looses segments. The point of the game is to help practice math and gain mental speed, rather than teach or explain math.

At later releases the game will become more complex and will feature power-ups along the way tacked away in parts of the labyrinth behind doors that would require solving a math problem while in motion to gain access. Different levels will also be accessed that way and each level will focus on an area of math. Starting from simple arithmetic with addition and subtraction the game will move to algebra, trigonometry and possibly even simple integral calculus (for practicing speed on the basic techniques of integration)

Math moth screenshot

Fuzzy Chess game

This is an add-on set of rules to the traditional game of chess. It introduces four blocks that function as randomized uneven terrain, serving as obstacles for other pieces to overcome during play. It also introduces a "shelter" piece that each player floats around the board via dice during their turn and occasionally traps chess pieces; rendering them invisible and immovable for that player's turn.

The random factor adds a new, unpredictable, different for each game, set of challeges. No two games can open the same way anymore and technique memorization becomes less usefull. This helps even-out the playing field between expert players that rely on memory and players that play instinctively.

Fuzzy Chess