Ever been following a semi down the freeway in the winter when all the snow and crap comes flying off the trailer right on your windshield?
How about a sturdy extendable trailer-top snowbrush? I dunno, it was the first thing that came to mind.
Going to keep my eyes peeled on this post to see what ideas are out there...
Hmm, not sure if this is possible for to present it in class... it seems too large, but interesting idea.
So basically something that carries your clubs for you? Like a segway that holds golf clubs? Cool idea, probably can't make something like that in enough time (project is due in a month or so).
A fork with a knife on it. You would have somehow engineer it not to cut people.
Would you want it to be able to stab food and cut it at the same time, I assume? This is an interesting idea, not sure how to do it exactly, but perhaps one of the group members would.
Idea #1...
You can replace the ink cartridges in printers.
You can replace the toner in copy machines.
You can replace the ink in ball point pens.
You can replace the graphite in mechanical pencils.
But you can't replace the fluid in magic markers.
Design a magic marker that allows the user to replace the fluid instead of having to throw it away when the ink runs dry and buy a new one.
Idea #2...
This is something I've wanted for a LONG time.
Design an MP3 player that has a USB port so that you can load songs onto it from a flash drive.
Idea #3... (a little tougher)
A microwave oven will heat food and drinks that are at room temperature in 60 seconds.
But if you want to cool food or drinks that are at room temperature... that takes a couple of hours.
Design a device that will cool food and drinks QUICKLY.
I think the tip of the pen would sort of get ruined, probably why they don't have that, because you'd have to replace the tip as well.
#2 would be good if I was an electrical or computer engineer and knew how to do that, but unfortunately I don't.
#3 we might be able to do, but I'm not sure how you could do it without freezing the drinking or getting the food all frost-bitten.
How about tags you can place on your keys and remote and when you press the pager it beeps.
That's a good idea, but it seems too simple. Like, I wouldn't have to design anything mechanical. Also more like electrical engineering stuff as well, but a good idea certainly.
Keep the ideas coming. Try to think of something more along the lines of mechanical devices than electronic stuff. Thanks for all the ideas so far.