For those unable to find paid work, an unpaid internship might seem like a useful method of gaining valuable experience, recommendations and even future job placement.

FORBES: 6 Legal Requirements For Unpaid Internship Programs

Which is, I would submit, why gut feelings and rules of thumb from experts in their field are so useful as a method of business decision making.

FORBES: Why Rules of Thumb, Intuition, Gut Feelings, Work in Business Decisions

Ms Swinson said that selling privately could be a "useful and cost efficient method", but warned that - in order to avoid estate agents fees - consumers had less protection during the transaction.

BBC: Private home sales to be easier, says government

The asset allocation recommendation under the Cosmo method is about as useful as a questionnaire to determine if you should have dated the person that just walked out the door.

FORBES: Is Cosmo Directing Your Portfolio?

And even if those educated in the sciences pursue employment in other areas, learning the scientific method in an accessible manner helps to cultivate critical thinking skills that are useful as a consumer and citizen.

FORBES: Pharmaceutical and Science Education Column Relocates to Forbes.com

In addition to other possible uses, Patwari wants to conduct research with doctors to test his method as an infant-breathing monitor, and, if it proves useful, develop it as a medical device that would need federal approval.

ENGADGET: Researchers use wireless network to monitor breathing, could save lives

What distinguishes Baynote is the way it combines multiple sources of evidence, constructs a multidimensional model, and then allows that model to be put to various uses, an approach that points the way to a broader method for understanding many sources of evidence about consumer behavior in a coherent and useful way.

FORBES: How Real-Time Marketing Technology Can Transform Your Business