plugging an electric teakettle in and out has a slightly jarring physical effect. I think that "the feeling of forceless insertion" that is soft plugin and unplugging at wall outlets would make plugging things in and unplugging them effortless and provide a kind upgrade to the dwelling user interface. I think angled spring loaded contacts could do it, or possibly nonconductive elastomers on the outside of the prong contacts If done with elastomers on one side of the metal contact, insertion and removal might feel like plugging into clay, yet be strong enough to avoid unintentional dislodgement.
I thought of calling this "zero insertion force" sockets as that is what it would feel like. There is another thing, a levered CPU socket with the same name though. The name ZIF was fun to write though.-- beanangel, Sep 09 2017 ZIF sockets are usually accompanied by a clamp-down lever. If the plug is not held in place, after insertion, then it is a zero-exit-force plug just as much as it is a ZIF plug (and falls out of the wall-socket). Lacking a clamp-down lever, the present system, with somewhat forceful insertions and removals, is just plain simpler to use.-- Vernon, Sep 09 2017 I like it. You can't plug the device in if the switch is on.-- wjt, Sep 09 2017 What [wjt] said. Actually, that makes a huge amount of sense.-- 8th of 7, Sep 09 2017 [vernon] Thanks, I did a really terrible job of writing what I meant so i rewrote it. now it is more "the feeling of forceless insertion" rather than the "looks like a lever arm ZIF socket"-- beanangel, Sep 11 2017 You should just be able to put the plug into a hole in the wall and have it mate up like the braids and tails in Avatar.-- nomocrow, Sep 13 2017 You should just be able to put the plug into a hole in the wall and have it mate up like the braids and tails in Avatar.-- nomocrow, Sep 13 2017 You should just be able to put the plug into a hole in the wall and have it mate up like the braids and tails in Avatar.-- nomocrow, Sep 13 2017 You could have a metal floor and a live 240v rail around the skirting board. To connect an appliance, simply drape one bare wire over the live rail.-- pocmloc, Sep 14 2017 random, halfbakery