George Hsu // XKUBE Network

Ideas No. 1, Vol. 1, 1st Edition

What can make life easier?

Afterall, that is the bottom line for most inventions that do succeed. It helps our daily lives become easier and clearer, so one thinks. Computers generally were supposed to be “the thing”, but in effect, if you don’t know how to use one, it could be the worst experience you’ve ever had.

Everything crashes left and right, you’ve got viruses that you don’t know of and worst of all, you are looking up the word “shoes” on Google and you come across pornographic ads on the internet while someone walks into the room.

Shopping Carts

Courtesy of pavegraphics.com

You have to love these things, compared to a shopping basket. When you go grocery shopping, sometimes you may decide to pick up a couple two liter pops, and the next thing you know, your basket is heavier than carrying a full sized watermelon.

So carts have been a good invention to help you ease that pain; however, I’ve noticed that even carts may need some improvements.

So what can be improved?

Now, before I go on and spill my idea of improving a shopping cart, I understand that there are advanced countries out there that are probably ten times ahead of where I am from. However, from what I’ve seen here in Vancouver, I think it’s time for a change.

Even when you fill-up your shopping cart, it can become quite heavy. In turn, it can damage the wheels, hence disabling the ability to move easily.

Sometimes, before you put that dollar into the cart to take it out, you’re stuck deciding whether this is the one to take because of the hassle. The cart can’t seem to move straight smoothly, let alone trying to turn left or right. The wheels are off balance and bent, parts have rusted and when you do fill your cart up, moving it is just another story altogether.

So here’s an idea, why not install a mini controller on the handle that allows you the control which direction you would like to turn the wheels, just like driving. You no longer have to push twice as hard to make the U-Turn to get to the cereals section!

It would essentially just be a mini bar that you shift left and right to turn the wheels, but you would have to hold it down to be effective. Once you let go, it will automatically adjust to go straight.

My Worst Picks

Courtesy of Whimsey Inc.

Still a long way to go is the automatic checkout systems at the supermarket. Even though some express that you should have only under 20 items to be able to use the automated checkout system, it’s a huge hassle.

Unless each and every single item had a bar code, it’s a hassle to input and manually select the items you’ve chosen. For example, I want to buy 5 KG of peaches, I would have to enter the touch screen menu, select fruits, and within fruits there are different types of peaches to select from, then you have to weigh it in.

For someone that is just coming here to buy some peaches, it’s a huge hassle. I don’t know the codes by heart like the well-trained personnels working at the supermarket. There must be some type of a system that can help increase the efficiency of this system.

Here is a good example of the point I was trying to make, click here.

Stay tuned for more!

Cheers,

George Hsu