Imagined in the 2020s

A small prize. Folding or bending is a convenience added to a pocket computer people would own anyway.

Who is paid. Ordinary people buy it, and the firms that already make and sell pocket computers add the feature and collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. A screen as thin and light as paper is a general display that could replace print and fixed sets, which changes the costs of a whole industry.

Who is paid. Ordinary people buy it, and the firms that already make and sell screens and pocket computers add the feature and collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. A network connection you throw away after use serves the few who want not to be traced.

Who is paid. People buy it for themselves and it is cheap by design and simple to make, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Robots that do all upkeep and repair aboard a ship would cut crew costs across shipping.

Who is paid. Ship and plant operators buy them, and as the machines can be copied the established makers that already equip and service those operators collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Gloves that strengthen a sailor's grip are a convenience for a pastime.

Who is paid. Sailors buy them for themselves, and many makers could build such gloves.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Sleeping through a single flight is a comfort for travellers, unlike the long dormancy that makes far voyages possible.

Who is paid. Travellers would buy it for themselves, and a new drug is protected from copying for a while, so its maker keeps what is left.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. Man-made skin helps people with burns and bad wounds, which is an important but narrow part of medicine.

Who is paid. Hospitals and clinics would buy it, and the firms that already supply wound dressings could all make it, so they collect a modest margin.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Helping autistic children manage daily life and learning would be worth a great deal to many families.

Who is paid. Families or their insurers would pay, and the makers of medical implants who already hold hospital trust could copy it and collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Hauling goods with no crew aboard changes the costs of a whole freight industry.

Who is paid. Freight carriers buy it, and since the self-steering gear can be copied, the carriers and builders that already own the fleets and routes collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. An insert that defeats identity tests serves only the few agents who must pass as someone else, and is forbidden to everyone else.

Who is paid. Assuming a spy service is the lawful buyer, it pays, and since others could copy the insert the firms already trusted with secret supply work collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Flying robots that watch crowds and calm them would change how a state keeps order in public places.

Who is paid. Police forces pay, and gear sold to them goes through the firms that already hold their supply contracts.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. A crawling robot that watches where flying ones cannot changes what police and spy services can learn.

Who is paid. Assumes it watches people for a state; once made it can be copied, so the firms already supplying such services collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. Hiding your face from cameras is wanted by a minority who care strongly about privacy.

Who is paid. Ordinary people buy it, and a face covering is easy for any maker to copy so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A vast prize. Cooling the whole planet would touch the weather and harvests of nearly everyone, for good or ill.

Who is paid. Nobody can be charged one by one, so a government pays, and the gun and the particles are plain engineering that many builders could supply.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. A chair grown to fit its owner is a novel way to get comfortable furniture.

Who is paid. People buy it for the home, and since living stock multiplies once any of it is sold, no originator can hold it, so the breeders and furnishing shops that already hold stock and showrooms collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.