NU12 by Kristine Raval - improvements on IV therapy

Improvements on the IV (intravenous therapy)

I've been stuck here in the hospital for a week now, and it's been a struggle for me in so many ways, especially in moving around. I know I'm supposed to just stay put and rest, but of course, there are some important movements that I need to do while I'm here – go to the bathroom, eat, change clothes. But these simple things I find difficult now because of the IV that's attached to my hand. For the first few days, the IV was attached to my left hand, but because it was becoming too heavy for my left hand, the nurse had to transfer it to my right hand – my more "workable" hand. The struggle here is that while this IV is attached to me, I have to bring it with me wherever I go, and my movements are limited. I can't even change my clothes without hanging my shirt on the IV pole and be creative about it. I can't eat properly with this tube dangling on my side or sometimes getting in the way of my food.

This personal experience has brought me to thinking that the design of the IV should be revisited. Those in the medical profession or those in the business of manufacturing or distributing the IV should take into consideration the convenience that a patient should be able to feel while in the hospital or while an IV is attached to him/her. For example, the IV could be strapped to the arm or the shoulder while the patient is mobile. The IV, in this case, could be placed in a smaller bag so that the patient's arm or shoulder won't be strained so easily. Another way to improve on the IV is to make it waterproof – or at least it should have a shield from water or any liquid substance while the patient is taking a bath or washing his/her (other) hand. One more way to make the IV convenient for the patient is that it should be easy to detach or that the tube can be easily removed and replaced by the stopper – in cases where the patient really needs to move without that extra weight. The problem here is that some nurses, are too slow to respond to the patient's call, and sometimes it's too late. So with these suggestions in the design of the IV, perhaps some of the struggles of the patient while at the hospital will be reduced. 4 < wow naman;  maski may sakit nagsubmit;  samantalang ang iba maayos ang daming alibi and do not submit.  thanks.>

NU12 by Kristine Raval - cable TV on the go

Cable On-The-Go

I have always been a TV person. Most of my waking days at home are spent watching different TV shows – upon waking up, I turn on the TV, and even as I go to sleep, I put the TV on sleep mode so I can go to slumber with the boob tube (as what it was traditionally known as) still on. TV, I believe, is man's greatest invention – and cable TV, is the best service ever. I watch shows from E! News to National Geographic to HBO, to even Deutsche Welle, just as long as it is an entertaining program.

Too bad, I always have to be at work (and at school) more than 14 hours a day for most of the week, so I don't really get to watch cable TV that often anymore. I don't get to watch my favourite TV series anymore, even if I download them from Torrent as I don't have time to sit down and watch. Sure, I hear about and see those portable TVs and even those DVD players with built-in screens, as well as mini notebooks and tablets where you can watch those downloaded and saved files, but the experience is not the same. For me, cable TV has to be live, especially for those breaking and hot news topics. Even TiVo can't do the job.

So how about we upgrade these portable gadgets with screens big enough for us to see a good resolution? Perhaps if Sky Cable, Cignal Cable, or other cable providers expanded their reach to those who are always busy and yet need their daily dose of television programs, then they would be more appreciated for their services.

Let's take a portable TV with the size of an iPad or a mini notebook, for example. Since most of us now rely much on digital devices, then tuning in and changing channels won't be a problem for this portable TV because we can just put any channel number then it would easily be read. It would have a storage capacity of about the same as a regular computer, then it would have a special chip or input device (i.e., SIM card) which has the capability of detecting signals – similar to how a mobile phone works. Once you turn on this portable TV, then you could just easily watch your favourite cable shows anywhere you go. The role of the cable provider here is to offer that special chip or SIM card which would allow the portable TV to access cable signals wherever the user goes. This special chip can even be transferred to other devices which have a compatibility port. Simply put – cable TV at its ultimate convenience. 3

NU 12 by Kristine Raval - Vacuum Luggage

VACUUM-PACK LUGGAGE

When traveling, a lot of people find packing their things as a challenge. Imagine all the clothes that you need to bring, toiletries, and other miscellaneous items that they usually bring – it's just crazy. No matter how "light" someone wants their packing style to be, it just seems difficult especially when it's time to go home and s/he has to pack all the stuff that was shopped for and all the pasalubong that needs to be given to friends and family back home.

I have been searching for different luggage accessories that may help fit all the things that one needs to put in a luggage. There are some packing cubes (where different types of clothing – i.e., underwear, shirts, bottoms – may be segregated), toiletry bags, compact towels, luggage with lots of pockets and compartments – but all of these do not really suffice "light" packing. So I look back at all the infomercials that I have seen, and I just distinctly remember this vacuum pack which is made of plastic and has a hole at the side where a vacuum can suck all the air from the bag and make it compact enough to fit in the cabinet and ultimately make storage clutter-free. Then I thought of integrating this idea with the luggage to make packing easier for those who have a lot of things to bring when traveling.

This vacuum-pack luggage shall look like a normal luggage on the outside, but when opened, it has lots of compartments which are vacuum-friendly (regardless of the material). Each compartment would have an integrated vacuum seal connected to the main luggage contraption which, when turned on, will activate the vacuum and make all the compartments compact. When this is done, there will be enough space within the luggage for one to put in all the extra stuff that needs to be packed. There could also be bonus vacuum packs for those extras so that there would even be more space in the luggage. This way, travelers can avoid bringing along bigger luggage or multiple bags just to be able to bring everything that is needed (and wanted).4

NU12 for June 5, 2012 (KRaval) - What Pisses You Off at the Office

What pisses me off in the office? What must be done?

I've been working in the same company for the last 6 years, and I can say that it has been a very great learning experience for me. I never would have thought that I would get to a Project Development job, being a Philosophy graduate myself. Our company is currently operating at a very fast pace, and it can be very stressful. We begin work at 7:30am, and ideally, we could go home at 4:30pm, but that's not the case. It is oftentimes embarrassing to our other officemates if we go home at 4:30pm, or even earlier than 5pm, just because everyone has to have a share in the burden of the current task at hand.

Our work usually begins with reading e-mails, then do some paperwork, then attend meetings, then make presentations, then back to reading e-mails, then interrupted by calls, then attend meetings again... until you've realized that you are already hungry and thirsty. This is definitely not the ideal "life at the office". And so my office mates were brainstorming one day about what should be done about this kind of office routine and prevent the employees from burning out. We thought of those days we dreamed of a work-life balance, and those days in the office we cannot even send a text message or make a phone call to a friend or a family member just because we're too busy to do so. Therefore we came up with a few things to somehow make our "work-life balance" dream come true:

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            1. There should be at least one day of the week we are allowed to work from home: read and answer e-mails, make and answer phone calls – while doing personal errands. This would definitely help us make more time to do our personal errands (especially when we need to go to government offices which are only open during weekdays) as well as spend more time with our family (especially for those who still have small children) while still being productive at work. We believe that one day away from the office won't make a lot of difference. Paperwork and other items of concern won't run out, anyway.

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      2. There should be at least one day of week that is declared as "meeting-less" day: this would help us work on our backlog paperwork and read or answer e-mails that have been sitting on our desks for at least 2 weeks. Meetings, after all, are just simply a waste of time, especially those that run for more than an hour. Further, meetings are meant for decision-making amongst the group involved – employees should already know the background of the agenda be prepared with solutions or recommendations. <ganun meeting de avance? always ? wala nang nagagawa?>

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      3. Employees should be entitled to a wellness program. Our company used to have one, but because of management decision, it was one of the employee programs that were cut from the budget. The wellness program that we are proposing is that of a provision of even a cafeteria that has healthy food options – aside from a gym and a fitness program offer. The company's number 1 asset should be the workforce – so we should be treated well and given this type of opportunity.

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      4.To avoid too much paperwork, there should be limits as to the number of paperwork that an employee should handle on a certain period. Some should already be automated so we can also avoid using too much paper. We are always on-line, so we can probably view such documents and approve/sign off on them via system.

5. Employees should be rewarded with an automatic workday off when we go to work on weekends. There are times we are required to go to work on a Saturday or Sunday for so many reasons, but of course, we lose our personal time off and our time for our family and friends. This "swap" day should automatically be credited to us without the management questioning our absence for not showing up at work the first official workday after that weekend. < that is what the law requires> 3

NU12 for May 29, 2012 (KRaval) Night Vision Windshield

Magnifying and Night Vision Windshield

When driving, one always requires a clear vision of the road so s/he may be able to drive well and avoid accidents. In my case, because I have astigmatism, I sometimes find it difficult to drive especially at night. It is oftentimes hard for me to recognize the other cars as well as pedestrians crossing especially those that suddenly appear within my sight. I can't even read plate numbers of the cars near mine. Even at times when I wear my glasses, it is still a challenge for me.

During my drive home last week, I kept thinking about how it would be visually easier for me to drive at night. And so I turn to the first object that I see – my car windshield, that is. Since it's the first thing and the one thing that I have direct visual contact with when driving, I thought maybe if it were modified as if it were my eyeglasses, with the added functionality of a night vision goggles, then perhaps I won't have any more complaints driving at night.

With this "smart" windshield, we can adjust the vision according to the driver's preference and according to how clear the vision is – similar to how an optometrist refracts the eyesight of a patient. There could also be an option to focus on a certain part of the vision which the driver can magnify just so s/he can see it more closely. A more advanced option with the "smart" windshield is the night vision functionality. When traversing a road that is not well-lit or doesn't have street lights at all, the car would have a "lumino-sensor" which detects the (lack of) lights within the external surroundings of the vehicle. If further visual is required, then the windshield would automatically be on its night vision mode, therefore helping the driver see the surroundings amidst the dark or in an area with the lack of proper lighting.  Ultimately, this car modification would be an added safety feature of the vehicle – no more visual "surprises" and drivers would surely enjoy the driving experience because s/he can clearly see what's ahead on the road. 3<Rt has a similar idea>

NU12 for April 24, 2012 (KRaval) - Adjustable Shoe

The Adjustable Shoe

Almost every week, I go to the mall and I stumble upon shoe stores and become a victim of un-scheduled shoe shopping. Since I have big feet (at 9 to 9.5), it has always been a challenge to me in purchasing footwear because my shoe size is like an introductory size for men, and I am pretty sure that those in the extreme side of the shoe size problem – those with the 5's – also have a difficult time looking for shoes because it's like they're borderline on the children's footwear section.

Even when I get a shoe size 9 or sometimes 10, it is not always certain that the shoe would fit, because different brands have different "measurements" also for shoe sizes – footwear size is not always as standard as we thought. Sometimes the shoes I buy are loose, sometimes tight.

So perhaps to address this problem that goes for us, I was hoping there would be a special footwear to be released in the market – an adjustable shoe which can fit anyone. For example, a free-size pair of loafers – whether the shoe size is 5 or extreme 10 – that can be adjusted, stretched, or made smaller so that any shoe size can fit. Even adjustable basketball shoes that can be fit according to the player's comfort. The adjusting mechanism for this shoe is to be found in the middle of the shoe or at the arch part of the feet so that the designs at the toe and at the heel parts of the shoe won't be compromised.

Further, the standard price to be put on this adjustable shoe can be better justified because there's just one size of material that is used compared to the "standardized" shoe price whether there is more leather or rubber material used.

How I wish I were a shoemaker so that I would be a pioneer in developing this idea and actually executing it and selling it to the market – I'm sure a lot of people would buy into it.4

NU12 by Kristine Raval - Solution to Parallel Parking

Driving is one tough skill, especially if you have to navigate through the narrow streets and infuriating traffic. Parking, though, is a much more difficult skill to learn because you have to learn when to stop driving and start setting the car in place at an empty spot.

In my case, it is fairly an easy job, especially parking the car backwards – this way, it would be easier for me to leave the parking area. However, my ultimate challenge is parallel parking – that's why as much as possible, I look for a parallel parking space which gives me about 2 meters clearance each at the front and back so it would be easier for me to maneuver.

But what if all parking slots in the world are aligned in a parallel manner and the only clearance we are given is about 3 inches maximum at the front and back? Then I, as well as those who are parallel parking challenged, am doomed. Perhaps not even years of practice would do me any justice. After all, the wheels of a car can only steer at an approximate maximum of 45 degrees.

Well, if there will be a perfect solution to this problem, we have to turn to the automobile companies to work on some innovation in car design. My suggestion is for them to consider that all cars be of 4-wheel drive type, so that it would be easier to turn the car when getting into a parking slot. Next design modification would be for them to make these 4-wheel drive cars to steer as much as 90 degrees so that it would be a no-brainer for every driver to park in such a small parallel parking space. So the way that the driver can park his/her car is to align the car to the allotted space and must approximate the clearance of the cars in front and at the back so that it can fit. Next is that the driver will steer the wheel to 90 degrees and put the gear in reverse so that the car can be parked perfectly. Then once the car is parked, the driver will just return the steering wheel to its normal position. Then when leaving the parking space, the driver will just have to turn the wheel again to 90 degrees and put on drive gear. It's as simple as that – as if you are just putting a book on an almost-filled bookshelf. No more worries about steering the wheel numerous times just to fit into such a small slot.<There is actually a 4 wheel steering car>   3.0

I think the car designers should consider developing this idea and actually executing it – this way it would relieve us of the stress that we feel every time we have to park in a parallel space. And yes, I would volunteer to be their first customer for that car model.