Journyx Project Management Blog

There is a mantra in the venture capital community that goes something like this:

“If you build a better mousetrap, nobody will care because the ones we have already work fine.”

I am not generally well-liked by venture capitalists for some reason, perhaps in part because I have always felt that if I built a better mousetrap, that the world might in fact actually beat a path to my door.

How about a rat trap with its own web server that tells you where the mice are headed, where their base of operations is and which traps are full? How about a mousetrap that interacts with your staff to save them time, increase health and lower costs?

Apparently I am not alone in this supposition because a British firm has, in fact, gone and done just that. The Economist magazine published an interesting article about the better mousetrap.

According to the company’s press release:

The Rentokil team will also use a new product called RADAR (Rodent Activated Detection And Riddance). As soon as a rodent enters the RADAR unit, the pressure sensitive pads detect its presence and automatically close the doors. The unit then releases a measured dose of carbon dioxide into the sealed chamber killing the rodent quickly and humanely with no release of toxins. RADAR is able to then send an email or text message notifying the Rentokil technician of the capture and extermination.

Furthermore, according to The Economist:

Since June 2006 thousands of digital mousetraps have been put in big buildings and venues such as London’s new Wembley Stadium. The traps communicate with central hubs that connect to the internet via the mobile network to alert staff if a creature is caught. The system provides a wealth of information. The data it collects and analyses on when and where rodents are caught enable building managers to place traps more effectively and alert them to a new outbreak.

A number of innovations had to come together in order to upgrade the humble mousetrap. Wireless chips have got smaller, better and less expensive. Sensors require less power. Batteries last longer. Many other companies have also started to pay attention to these advantages, adding wireless features to objects and machines to enhance their performance and open up new revenue streams.

- Curt Finch, Journyx CEO