They say necessity is the mother of invention, but I would argue that laziness is an important factor too.  Do we really need TV remotes that change channels by sending infrared signals through the air, or do we just not feel like getting up?  Do we really need those Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners to vacuum our floors, or do we just not feel like doing it ourselves?  (On a side note, I would argue that many of the inventions that involve robotics are essentially centered around laziness and some guy in a lab saying, "I don't feel like doing this.  Maybe I can design a robot to do it for me.") 

Another mother of invention turns out to be sports and leisure.  I noticed this as I was on a ski lift going up a mountain in Vermont this past weekend.  Huge machines that looked like scorpions were carving snow with their "tails" to make a giant half-pipe.  It was immediately evident that these machines were designed and created exclusively for this purpose, so that skiers and snowboarders could spend their winter weekends doing tricks and avoiding catastrophic head injuries. 

I guess it just amazes me that entire industries are formed and countless dollars are spent in the advancement of science and technology, often for questionable gain.  But I don't mind; the half-pipe keeps all the dirty teenagers busy so they take up less space on the rest of the mountain.  It's a win-win. #technology