Over the moon as kids predict a future of robots, hover boards and pedal powered TVs

The Intellectual Property Office announces time capsule to celebrate 85,000 ‘cracking ideas’ from budding innovators.

In the future Britain’s kids predict we’ll be living in a world of robot postmen, hover boards, and automatic gardens.

85,000 young innovators have submitted ideas to The Intellectual Property Office after visiting the Wallace & Gromit Present A World of Cracking Ideas exhibition at The Science Museum. Children have been asked to come up with ‘cracking ideas’ they’d like to see in the future.

The ideas submitted reveal the topics firing the imagination of Britain’s children and what gadgets and gizmos they would most like to see in the future.

The best ideas will be buried in a time capsule, to be opened again in 2020, they include:

Robots - Machines that do everything will be giving us a helping hand in the future. ‘Billy the Cook’ is the creative genius of Robert Unsworth. This robot chef complete with feet made of recycled tin cans and arms composed of disposable stacking cups will prepare any dish you fancy on demand.

Transport - 30 years since Marty McFly stepped on a hover board in Back to the Future, young British innovators see themselves travelling around by rocket powered boots and jet propelled back packs. ‘The Deep Diver’ by Tyona Higgins is the under-water means to get from A to B of the future. Complete with super vision lights, a specially developed flotation device and a password activated navigation system could it be a common mode of transport in 2020?

Human grooming - In the future kids see teeth cleaners, amazing hair brushes and machines that shower and dress you as everyday household items. Nose pickers and spot squeezers have their place in 2020 too but when it comes to pure laziness how about Ieuan Cooke’s invention - The Ieuan Dryer - which saves on towels by drying your post bath body in a cubicle through which hot air circulates?

Environment - when it comes to looking after our future, the young innovators of today are on the case. Eco friendly devices have been created for almost every aspect of life in the future. There are solar powered lawn mowers and TVs operated by human pedal power as well as devices designed to make recycling easier. Bethany Walsh’s dazzling ‘Funky Shoes’ generate power to play your favourite music with every step you take.

Thinking and working things out - Kids today feel they will still need help with their school work in the future. Ideas lodged at the exhibition featured amazing mind readers, special books which impart their knowledge with magical ease, brushes to automatically paint masterpieces and pencils that do homework for you just by telling them to get on with it! Olivia Brough sees the future of school work with the assistance of ‘The Mathematical miracle.’ She predicts that this calculator stylus will be a must-have for anyone who struggles with sums at school.

Lawrence Smith-Higgins, Head of Business Outreach and Education at the Intellectual Property Office commented, "It’s great to see that Wallace and Gromit’s ingenious inventions have been inspiring young visitors to tackle everyday problems. We’ve been so impressed with the high standard of entries that we have decided to put a selection of the best ideas in a time capsule which we’ll bury. In 2020 we’ll dig up the time capsule to see how the "cracking ideas" shape up in a world that’s sure to be different from today. Maybe one of the great innovators of the future is among these 85,000 entries!"

Children’s TV presenter Gareth Jones said, "I am really impressed by the level of imagination, quality of the realisation and the sheer number of wonderful inventions that have been dreamed up by the kids visiting the Cracking Ideas exhibition. I have long held the belief that the future is invented by young people. It appears that the entrants have invented a truly exciting future and now it is up to real scientists and engineers to turn those ideas into reality. When the Cracking Ideas time capsule is finally opened it will be fascinating to see how many of these ideas were not simply fantasies; but predictions!"

Budding innovators can visit Wallace & Gromit Present A World of Cracking Ideas at the Science Museum until Sunday 1 November and see inside 62 West Wallaby Street, the famous home of Wallace & Gromit, whilst interacting with some of Wallace’s own cracking contraptions such as the Tellyscope II, the Piella Propellor and the Blend-o-Matic.

The time capsule will be buried at the Intellectual Property Office on Wednesday 14 October 2009, and will be opened in 2020 to see which inventions have been made it in to reality

For more information please contact Eulogy! on 0207 927 9999 or email intellectualpropertyoffice@eulogy.co.uk.

Visitor information

• This is an Aardman experience at the Science Museum, supported by the Intellectual Property Office and produced by SGA.
• Entry fees apply.
• Ticket prices: Adults: £9.00, Conc: £7.00, Family (1 Adult, 2 Children): £21.00, Family (2 Adults, 2 Children): £30.00.
• Download a special 2 for 1 offer to visit the exhibition at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

About The Intellectual Property Office

• The Intellectual Property Office sits within the Government’s Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) department and responsible for the national framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patents, trade marks, designs and copyright.
• Its role is to help manage an IP system that encourages innovation and creativity, balances the needs of consumers and users, promotes strong and competitive markets and is the foundation of the knowledge based economy.
• It operates in a national and an international environment and its work is governed by national and international law, including various international treaties relating to IP to which the United Kingdom is a party.
• Businesses and individuals wanting intellectual property support and advice can visit www.ipo.gov.uk/healthcheck

Date of release: 8 October 2009