A Killer Idea: Licensing an innovation back to the original innovator
The innovation of inflatable space station modules, now being developed by Bigelow Aerospace as the basis of a commercial space station, has a strange history. The concept was actually developed by NASA as part of a project called Transhab, which contemplated attaching inflatable modules to what wou
Do we really understand what it means to be creative?
Creativity is that which separates human beings from beasts. It is more than just building a tool or expressing one’s “self” or drawing a picture. The ability to be creative involves an understanding of nature that we then change and adapt based on our needs or to solve a problem. An educational pro
A Unique Innovation: A Microscope that Fits in Your Shirt Pocket
When Manu Prakash took his idea to Bill and Melinda Gates, he probably encountered no small amount of skepticism. His innovation? A paper microscope that weighs less than a few coins, fits in your pocket and costs about one dollar to manufacture. He named it the foldscope. But Prakash had done his
Is There Anything That Is Truly Original?
Download Is_anything_truly_original.mp3 In a recent discussion among patent attorneys and engineers, the question was asked about the requirement of originality before something can be issued a patent. Younger engineers tend to have the belief that only truly original ideas can be patented. That is not the
Henry Ford almost lost it all by not recognizing that an innovators job is never done
One of the secrets to being an innovator is the ability to ferret out the unspoken needs and unspoken wants of a customer and then develop a product or service that fills it. But the other secret is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and constantly improve that product or service to stay
Is the fear of failure killing your creativity and hindering your success?
If you look at any of your favorite creative projects, you will see a polished gem staring you in the face. And this is where most people stop. The final product is so amazing that it intimidates them. Fear and doubt paralyze their minds, their thoughts become jumbled. And they forget the most i
Is STEM enough to win in the innovation economy?
Download Is_STEM_enough_to_make_innovators.mp3 Is STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) the answer to preparing our kids to be the innovators of the future? That’s the question I was recently asked during the Q&A session at the end of a speech. Based on
Did you know that brandy was the unintended consequence of a medieval tax dodge?
Brandy is a distilled drink made from wine, though some forms are created from mash made from fruits other than grapes. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. It is generally served as an after dinner drink, though it is also used as the basis of mixed drinks such as brandy alexander. The name come
Does Your Organization Have The Willingness and Ability To Innovate?
Companies depend on the ability to innovate in order to remain competitive. Traditionally, we consider innovation to involve fun and creativity. However, innovation can be hard work requiring both a willingness and an ability to generate ideas. According to Linda Hill and co-authors of Collective Ge
An innovation from Luna that could make the washer, the dryer, and the Laundromat obsolete
Right now it is just a design concept, but the Luna Wash, created by Juan Camilo Restrepo Villamizar for 2014’s Electrolux Design Challenge may be just the innovation that makes the washer, the dryer, and the laundromat obsolete. The Luna Wash is envisioned as a sphere that one fills with water and
