The Unstable trait says:
On a failure, the innovation malfunctions in a spectacular (though harmless) fashion, such as a belch of smoke or shower of sparks, and it becomes incapable of being used for further unstable actions.
And for reference here is the full text of the Unstable trait:
Unstable actions use experimental applications of your innovation that even you can't fully predict, and that are hazardous to your innovation (and potentially you). When you take an unstable action, attempt a DC 17 flat check immediately after applying its effects. On a failure, the innovation malfunctions in a spectacular (though harmless) fashion, such as a belch of smoke or shower of sparks, and it becomes incapable of being used for further unstable actions. On a critical failure, you also take an amount of fire damage equal to your level. As the innovation's creator, you can spend 10 minutes retuning your innovation and making adjustments to return it to functionality, at which point you can use unstable actions with that innovation again.
To take an unstable action, you must be using your innovation (for example, wearing an armor innovation or wielding a weapon innovation). If you have a minion innovation, some unstable actions are taken by the minion instead of you. In these cases, only the minion can take that action, and the minion needs to have been Commanded that turn to take the action. If you critically fail the flat check, the minion takes the damage instead of you.
Some actions have an Unstable Function entry, which you can use to add the unstable trait for a bigger benefit. If you're unable to use unstable actions, you can still use the action normally, but you can't use the unstable function.
For Megavolt, there is both an Unstable version and a normal version. Additionally, for Inventors with a construct minion, either the Inventor or the minion can take the action. This trait description seems to indicate that, if you have a construct innovation, that only the construct can do the Unstable version of Megavolt.
But what about Unstable actions where there is no special "stable" option, like Searing Restoration and Explosive Leap?
The bolded text in the Unstable description seems to contradict these 2 feats, which explicitly say that if you're an Inventor with a construct innovation, it "can" take this action rather than you (i.e., either of you can take the action).
So what happens when one of them takes the action and fails the DC 17 flat check? Does the action now become unavailable to both?
I think the intention is that these abilities are only to be used once before you spend 10 minutes to stabilize your innovation.
However, it seems strange for a construct doing Searing Restoration 50 feet away from the Inventor, now makes that Inventor unable to do the same thing.
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Regardless of who takes the Unstable action, all Unstable actions depend upon the innovation to power the action ("Unstable actions use experimental applications of your innovation that even you can't fully predict, and that are hazardous to your innovation (and potentially you).").
So no matter who performs the action, if you, the player fail the flat check, Unstable actions are out until you repair your innovation (barring the feat that lets you ignore failure once per day).
EDIT: To say it more succinctly: Unstable actions make your innovation break, not the inventor. ...well, unless the damage from a crit fail kills you.
I haven't gone over all of the details of the rule wording with a fine comb, but I would think the intent is that if you have a minion construct companion as their innovation, that they can choose when picking the feats whether the inventor or the minion can use the abilities - but not both interchangeably. Maybe that is just RAI as I would interpret it though.
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Its pretty clear that the innovation malfunctions if the unstable action is failed by either of them. Stopping either of them from using it again till the innocation is repaired.
The key text is ... you can spend 10 minutes retuning your innovation and making adjustments to return it to functionality, at which point you can use unstable actions with that innovation again. To take an unstable action, you must be using your innovation...
There are lots of really soft words like "some" and "can" which makes reading these rules for implications hard. only the minion can take that action is weakened by some unstable actions.
So I assume that somewhere there are Unstable actions that a construct minion can't take. Here are some: Clockwork Celerity and Haphazard Repair. They don't have the extra Special clause that the other Unstable actions do .
So the rule is really saying: if the construct minion can do the Unstable action, then the inventor can't do it.
Regardless of who takes the Unstable action, all Unstable actions depend upon the innovation to power the action ("Unstable actions use experimental applications of your innovation that even you can't fully predict, and that are hazardous to your innovation (and potentially you).").
So no matter who performs the action, if you, the player fail the flat check, Unstable actions are out until you repair your innovation (barring the feat that lets you ignore failure once per day).
EDIT: To say it more succinctly: Unstable actions make your innovation break, not the inventor. ...well, unless the damage from a crit fail kills you.
I honestly disregarded that as flavor text, because how to explain using Searing Restoration from your own person when you're the Inventor?
THEN I read Gortle's response and am thinking huh: this all becomes cleaner if the Inventor is unable to take actions where it says the minion "can" take it.
I guess reading the text of Searing Restoration in a different light, "it can take this action rather than you" can mean the Inventor simply cannot do it. I would think Paizo would know how to make its intent clearer, however - I don't think the way I read it at first was unreasonable.
Anyway, thanks for the responses! I will say only the innovation can do these things, and it makes more sense thematically anwyway.