I was watching a program on Discovery Science, about two people trying to create a electric generator using the wave current to power up their caravan for a wonderful picnic by the sea side.
They built a long cone and secured it at the bridge with cone’s bottom lowered into the sea. As the wave comes, it pushes the water into the cone up and down, thus, creating pressure which pushes the air outward via cone’s top opening and when the wave falls, it sucks the air in from the top of the cone and creates inward air flow.
They then created a fan blade which act like a turbine attached to a electric generator motor in hope that the air pressure can move the turbine and generate electricity to power up their caravan. However, due to the nature of the wave current which rise and fall, thus, the air flow also goes outwards and inwards according to the wave current. Because of that, it changes the rotation direction for the turbine which is inadequate to generate electricity.
They also mentioned it can only generate electricity if the fan rotates in one direction regardless the direction of the air flow which pushes out and sucks in. Therefore, they carry on which their research and findings to solve this issue. At this point of time, it was a commercial break for that program. This gives me the opportunity to think how to solve this.
I’m not a genius, I didn’t score 17A1s in SPM, not an engineering student nor aerodynamicist. I really think hard, I look at the fan blade attached in my wall fan, and the design of the shape is to suck air from behind and blows forward while rotating by the motor behind it. How can it turn in one direction regardless the wind blows or sucks? I can’t figure it out, I gave up.
They found the solution by using Wells Turbine, an air turbine that keeps its rotation direction regardless changing direction of the air flow.
This got me thinking even further.
Everything that we have, everything that we do, it is the result of changes that we had made or if not, the people before us. For example, if our parents or grandparents are so comfortable with making fire with firewood to cook, there will not be gas stove and now, electrical heated stove. If our ancestors are so comfortable living naked (as much as us wanted today 
), we will not be wearing any clothing.
Please voice out in office, any ideas that you have, be it a simple, minor or complicated, suggest it to your immediate supervisor or management. Let them know your thoughts. Brainstorm, discuss and plan it. What could be worst? Worst will return to present and now, everything that you have and continue doing it. Anything that workout successfully, would be credited under your name. If nothing can be workout, at least your boss knows that you are open to share your ideas, which is good for you.
Sometimes at work, often we think we are already at our best, there will be absolutely no way we can make it better. Well, think again.
If Professor Alan Wells didn’t think of any solution for his turbine design, and have the same mindset as mine and gave up, we will not be utilizing his great invention for wave energy conversion and generate electricity today which benefits in many ways.
Changes are painful, needed time to adapt. If without changes, trial and error, how do we know what would the outcome would be?