Boston University has long been a wellspring of great ideas, from life-saving medical breakthroughs like a bionic pancreas to better ways to predict potentially devastating solar storms to reimagining the social structures of ancient civilizations. But there is another kind of idea, less awe-inspiring but far more handy for people who want to save a few bucks on footwear, tell time without looking at a watch, or keep pesky rodents outside, where they belong. Those ideas are born each fall in the College of Engineering course Product Design and Invention: Technology Creation, Protection, and Commercialization, taught by Dan Cole, an ENG associate professor of mechanical engineering. Bostonia asked Cole to share a few of his favorite ideas for inventions by students in the classes he has taught since 1999.