Gadgetopia

Disney Debuts New Safer, Quieter and More Environmentally Friendly Fireworks Technology: Disney has sort of open-sourced a new way to launch fireworks. The new method uses compressed air instead of black powder. (The quote below is from a press release, so it’s a little self-serving.)

As a recognized industry leader and the world’s largest producer of fireworks shows, Disney is in the process of donating all seven patents associated with the new air launch technology to a non-profit organization so these patents can be licensed to other pyrotechnic providers.

The bit on CNN said that Disney hopes other companies will use the technology and improve it. sounds a lot like open source, though I don’t know if the improvements to the technology need to be donated back to the organization or not.