Where did all the eccentric inventors go? The men (and women) in sheds, the gadgets with flashing lights, the sense that the future was arriving one bizarre prototype at a time. In this episode of the Cognitive Engineering Podcast, the panel ask whether invention has become boring — or whether our idea of invention is simply out of date.Starting with Tomorrow’s World, the Innovations catalogue and the golden age of gadgetry, the conversation moves into patents, capital intensity, incremental progress and the shift from lone inventors to teams, firms and platforms. Along the way, the hosts explore whether innovation has moved from atoms to bits, whether low-hanging fruit has already been picked, and why we might be surrounded by astonishing technology while feeling less excited than ever.The episode closes with personal “inventions”, disappointing gadgets, and a reminder that creativity may be more democratised now than at any point in history — even if it no longer looks like a bearded professor wheeling something dangerous into a TV studio.Topics coveredTomorrow’s World, gadgets and the romance of inventionThe myth of the lone inventorAtoms vs bits: physical invention and softwareWhat patent data actually shows about innovationCapital intensity and “low-hanging fruit”Incremental vs breakthrough innovationWhy batteries and concrete are more exciting than they soundDemocratisation of invention: GitHub, maker spaces and 3D printingFalling costs and the invisibility of progressWhy technology might feel boring despite being extraordinaryKey ideas & momentsThe heyday of individual inventors may have been the 19th century, not the 1980sMost inventions today are still physical — just less visibleIncremental progress can be transformative without being dramaticCheap, abundant technology dulls our sense of wonderWhy invention may be everywhere, but invention stories are disappearingFraser’s dual-glasses “optical breakthrough” (and its controversial reception)ContributorsFraser McGruerNick HarePeter CoghillAbout the podcastThe Cognitive Engineering Podcast explores decision-making, technology, creativity and complex systems through thoughtful, wide-ranging conversations. New episodes are released every week or two.LinksFor more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected] few things we mentioned in this podcast:- The Innovations Catalogue http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2957409.stm- Decline of the Independent Inventor https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w11654/w11654.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com- The ‘bungling inventor’ trope https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BunglingInventor