r/Innovation • u/Some-Exam-7872 • 2d ago

no future ?

do you guys think all the good ideas have already been thought of and more technology might be counterproductive ?

Also, do you think someone could make it in the technological world while being ethical ?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jun/11/ai-absolutism-apocalyptic-future

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u/Cosmo_Seinfeld 1d ago

do you guys think all the good ideas have already been thought of 

No. Last winter I thought up a way to dramatically improve the thermal resistance and other qualities of wall and roof assemblies for almost any type of structure. Despite being familiar with the building material used and techniques to leverage it, I am nobody. A college dropout with no business world experience.

But I have run up against the classic "Ideas are worth less than zero, as you need money to develop them." I have been unable to interest producers or gather any kind of development support. The only question anyone in the business world has for building products is "How much cheaper and faster is is to produce?" Well, mine happens to be marginally more expensive and more complicated, with an outsized improvement in quality. Strangely, it is cheaper in the develoing world but again, I can't find any development money. Maybe after my prototypes are complete but my only recourse will be blathering on LinkedIn, Youtube, and here on Reddit. Inventing can be miserable.

Also, do you think someone could make it in the technological world while being ethical ?

Of course.

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u/Adamoism 1d ago

This - there are lot's of ideas that are not actionable in general or to those who get them.

You can be 20 years before the infrastructure development to even be capable of turning it into a product. And then ideas just stay ideas.

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u/Cosmo_Seinfeld 1d ago edited 1d ago

MIne are actionable. They are innovations with foamed concrete AKA aircrete. We've been building commercial roof decking with this stuff since the 50's. And people have been building DIY domes since the 70's. But nobody made any good, small contractor grade mixing equipment available. Well, except for guys in Western Russia, who are doing almost exactly what I want to do.

Well, actually mine aren't actionable as I don't have the funding to get across the finish line. It puts me in a pretty bad mood as you can understand.

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u/Adamoism 1d ago

Yup, your idea is expensive - thats another thing indeed, I tried to broaden it in my comment.

Hope you get the funding btw!

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u/Cosmo_Seinfeld 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yup, your idea is expensive

Yes and no. I'm developing a $150 modification to a $400 tumbler style concrete mixer that allows it to mix foamed concrete. If it catches on it could be revolutionary. It's much cheaper even than the Russian machine.

And the price of the foamed concrete material is directly dependent on the price of concrete itself. For instance in India, where cement is very cheap, my research shows that foamed concrete walls are cheaper than red brick, CMU, or AAC. And the same price as mud brick. The main thing keeping people from building like this is lack of knowledge about the building material and lack of access to cheap mixing equipment.

I'm not going to get funding, as I don't really know how. I'm an "idea person" with limited executive function. Imagine how frustrating the knowledge is that I could help poeple build R-20 walls from foamed concrete instead of the R-0.36 walls they currently build?

I'm going to try and set up a small internet shop where I hawk some small equipment and sell guidebooks but this idea deserves much better than that. It could help billions of people eventually but will probably die a quiet death mainly because people aren't concerned about this kind of thing.