Tag Archives: pets

Innovation or Not? – Catios

Innovation or Not - Catios

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

Catios are quickly becoming the new trend for cat owners. They’re a great way to give your cats the chance to explore the outdoors without having to worry about them running away or getting into trouble. Catios provide cats with a safe, secure space to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, while also keeping them safe from predators or other dangers.

Catios come in all shapes and sizes, so you’re sure to find one that fits your home and your cat’s needs. Some are small and enclosed spaces, while others are larger and offer cats more room to explore. You can also choose catios with multiple levels, so your cats can climb and explore different heights.

When considering a catio, the most important factor is safety. Make sure your catio is made of sturdy materials and is properly secured. Check for any gaps or holes that your cat could easily escape through. Make sure you also choose a catio that is large enough for your cats to move around comfortably.

In addition, catios are great for providing cats with mental stimulation. Place toys, scratching posts, and other items inside the catio to keep your cats entertained. You can also add plants and bird feeders to the catio to create a more natural environment and attract wildlife.

Finally, it’s important to keep your catio clean. Make sure you regularly sweep and vacuum the area to keep it free of debris and bugs. Keep the catio free of dirt and debris, as these can harbor bacteria and other germs that can be harmful to your cats.

But are they an innovation?

Sound off in the comments.

p.s. It will be interesting to see how this furry family member and home improvement trend evolves. Will we start to see new homes built with incorporated catios? Will your catio positively or negatively impact the value of your home when it comes time to sell? Wish I had one – if I was a cat.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Keeping Your Best Friend Safe

Every so often something comes along that is super funny, super cute, and super functional, all at the same time.

Check out the video below and then we’ll dive in to the innovation potential of The Rocketeer Pack by ZuGoPet.

I’m sorry, but I laugh every time I see this video, but at the same time I recognize that their solution is actually quite logical and practical.

I also have to laugh at the sizing guide, which suggests that you measure your dog in the “begging” position.

ZuGoPet Rocketeer Pack Dog on MotorcycleFor an extra bonus the harness for the car can also be used as a front pack, meaning you can now take little ChiChi out for a ride on your motorcycle when he gets tired of riding in the car.

My early reactions? A Great idea with okay execution. I think they may be able to improve the design to make it easier to use, and as a result increase adoption but then I’ve never actually used one so I’m just judging by the video.

I do have to say that the video did highlight that seatbelts for people are badly in need of a re-design. I have a design for a built-in four point seatbelt that automobile manufacturers or insurance companies are welcome to talk to me about if they’re interested in increasing passenger safety and decreasing injury claims.

So, what do you think? Innovation or not?

Image credit: zugopet.com


Accelerate your change and transformation success

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Innovation Goes to the Dogs?

Innovation Going to the Dogs?

In case you missed it, a team from Scandinavia thinks that they’ve nearly cracked no, not the human-computer interface, but the dog-computer interface, so that some day soon we might in fact be able to understand man’s best friend.

What does the dog say?

Well, this question begs another question, do we really care? Or do we really want to hear it all of the time?

They’ve launched an IndieGoGo campaign and have already exceeded their campaign funding goal, so I guess they’ll be moving their research and product development on to the next stage.

So, what do you think, if they push the product to the finish line, will it be an invention or an innovation?


Build a common language of innovation on your team

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Innovation or Invention? – Dog Washing Machine

Innovation or Invention? - Dog Washing MachineI saw the second picture in this article (of a dog washing machine in Japan) over my wife’s shoulder during a leisurely reading of the Sunday Seattle Times yesterday. I think it was in the Parade magazine, and as I started writing this article I found the same picture posted two years ago here, so it became clear that this idea – a dog and cat washing machine – has been already productized and in use for at least a year in Japan. But then I found the first picture in this article (which looks a lot like my daughter’s dog) in an article about the Dog-o-Matic that appeared in The Daily Mail back in 2009, meaning some inventive Brit appears to have beat out someone from Japan by nearly a year.

Dog Washing Machine - JapanNow, I can say with reasonable certainty that very few dog or cat owners really enjoy giving Fido or Princess a bath, and so the idea of a machine that you lead Fido or Princess into and shut the door and push a button to accomplish the job, sounds very appealing. It can be an incredibly messy operation fraught with danger and frustration (thus the rise of self-service dog washing places), but when you look at the first picture, is the emotional trauma of the experience something that dog or cat owners (or dogs/cats for that matter) could endure over the long term?

Hmmm…

Looking at these images, they remind me of an experience my wife and I (or mostly my wife) had in an automatically cleaned public restroom at a train station in Versailles, France that was just about as traumatic. But that’s a story for another day…

So, what do you think? Invention or innovation?

Is this something that will catch on with dog owners around the world?

I’ll leave you with a video of the Japanese version in use:

Build a Common Language of Innovation

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.