Wallace and Gromit competition: the results
IT HAS been Feedback鈥檚 pleasure this week to judge the entries to our Wallace and Gromit competition 鈥� and what a cracking lot they were.
We asked you to describe your own Wallace-and-Gromit-style invention in no more than 100 words. Many of you focused on just one important aspect of the Wallace and Gromit canon: reading through your entries, it has been a revelation to us how many productive uses cheese 鈥� especially Wensleydale 鈥� can be put to. Knitting, mice running on treadmills and modified bicycles also figured in many of your inventions.
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Feedback readers are noted for their high moral concerns, and it came as no surprise that many of your inventions attempted to address urgent social needs, such as reuniting odd socks into pairs and machine-washing duvet covers in a way that doesn鈥檛 involve them swallowing up pillowcases.
On another tack, several of your inventions aimed to improve personal grooming and cleanliness. Why this should be considered a priority we do not know, and prefer not to speculate.
Here then, are our chosen winners, starting with the overall winner and followed by the four runners-up.
鈥淲hen Gary Kass downloaded an email attachment from his daughter鈥檚 school entitled 鈥淪wine flu 鈥� Information for Parents and Carers鈥�, his Norton security suite informed him: 鈥淣o virus threat detected鈥�
This consists of a ping-pong ball, a length of strong string and a pulley. Attach one end of the string to the ping-pong ball and the other via the pulley to the cables under a TV or computer. When vacuuming the cable area, suck the ball up and the cables rise, enabling the cleaner to clean under the mass of cables. On completion of the operation, turn the vacuum cleaner off to allow the ball to exit and the cables to return to their usual mess.
From Len Worsfold
To prevent the rows caused by duvet poaching, the duvet is looped right under the bed on a roller system so that no one can be uncovered by their partner鈥檚 nocturnal appropriation of the covers. Furthermore, to avoid the shock of cold covers, a radiator under the bed 鈥� attached to the existing central heating system 鈥� will warm the duvet to the required temperature, thus ensuring a battle-free night鈥檚 sleep for all.
From Sally Priest
VR (virtual reality) goggles and a VO (virtual olfactory) mask are applied to a cooperative canine standing on the stationary Ezi-Treadmill. The solar-powered electronic device is switched on and the canine sees and smells a rabbit in a field. The dog gives chase, which moves the treadmill, powering the washing, cleaning and drying attachments, as well as pumping clean rainwater into the system, and expelling rinse water into a nearby orchard.
From Ben Marshall
As well as having reactive lenses, these spectacles have a built-in rain sensor that activates lens wipers in wet conditions. There is also a light detector, which will switch on lights in the spectacle arms when it is dark, to help you see. In strong sunlight, a nose shield will automatically be unfurled to prevent unsightly sunburn on the nose. In extreme cold, the frame of the spectacles will heat up to help keep your face warm. The spectacles are powered by a small wind turbine attached to each arm. Stylish yet practical.
From Rebecca Foxon
Ever been on your bicycle speeding downhill and found you needed to turn across the traffic at a T-junction at the bottom? You will know, then, that you can鈥檛 signal to the vehicles behind because both hands are furiously gripping the brake levers. That鈥檚 where my spring-loaded XtraArm jacket comes in handy. Simply push the button mounted beside your right brake lever and a system of wires and pulleys releases the high visibility extra arm 鈥� complete with pointing hand 鈥� into the standard position. Road users behind you will thank you for your consideration and strict adherence to the Highway Code.
From Ray Boucher
THANKS to the generosity of Carlton Books, our winner Len Worsfold receives a copy of Grand Adventures and Glorious Inventions: The scrapbook of an inventor and his dog by Penny Worms, signed by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park. The runners-up each receive an unsigned copy of the book.
Congratulations to all of our winners 鈥� and thanks to everyone who sent in their grand inventions. It was great fun judging them.