Outlets

John La Grou has a terrific idea for communication between electrical plugs and outlets that will prevent house fires, save lives and electricity.  They have applied for over 400 patents (one wasn’t enough?).  This won’t fly until someone (governments?) forces manufacturers (China?) and housebuilders (everywhere) to make it standard.  That may take a while, considering how much trouble it is plugging an American electrical device into a European outlet (or verse vica). All this in four minutes. Makes you wonder whether all TED talks should have a short four minute version. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_la_grou_plugs_smart_power_outlets_1.html