Dear CREAX newsreader,
It's that time again. Time for the CREAX newsletter, with the best innovations of this month. The highlights of this issue are:

No-mow grass	Boeing with bowed wings
Foam gutter filler	All directions moving lift truck
Grooved fly fishing lines	company news

	No-mow grass
	The idea of being able to precisely control plant height might not sound that exciting at first, but ... what if your lawn just couldn't grow into a scraggly forest of grass, staying short and neat without ever needing mowing? Or what if crops could be made to grow larger, producing more food per acre? Plant scientists have clarified the signalling pathway of a class of plant hormones called brassinosteroids that play a central role in regulating plant stature. These steroids are so important in telling plants to grow that disrupting the pathway turns plants into tiny dwarves. http://www.sciencentral.com/ filed under: agriculture, nature, chemistry Property spectrum: Decreasing human involvement This property describes a system’s decreasing reliance and burden on humans as it evolves. Systems tend to become increasingly automated.
	Boeing with bowed wings
	The Boeing 747, workhorse of the jumbo jet fleet since 1968, has undergone a radical redesign from Boeing, giving it these odd-looking bowed wings that add to its aerodynamic efficiency. The upturned wings resemble those of Boeing's upcoming 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient design that's been exceeding the company's sales expectations thus far. The 747-8's new wings, along with quieter and cleaner-running jet engines, make it more environmentally friendly because it will burn a lot less fuel, with a corresponding reduction in exhaust. Expect the first freighter versions of this plane to be rolled out in 2009, with passenger versions to follow. http://blog.scifi.com filed under: aerospace Property spectrum: Curving? Dimensions? This property describes the evolution of linear constructs towards 3-dimmensional non-linear constructs. Benefits derived from utilizing additional dimensions include improved physical properties like strength, moment of inertia, surface area, as well as improved aesthetics and ergonomics.
	Foam gutter filler
	Now here's a great idea. Gutter Stuff is a clever product that is so simple that it will leave many wondering how it was that they didn't think it up themselves. The product is a non-absorbent foam filler that fits in your roof's gutter, allowing water to drain out as normal while preventing leaves or unwanted debris from settling in. http://www.gutterstuff.com filed under: household Property spectrum: Porosity Solid bodies trend toward increased porosity. Porosity is achieved through the incorporation of hollow spaces or pores. Porosity allows for reduced weight, improved surface area, and the inclusion of active elements.
	All directions moving lift truck
	Airtrax sidewinder industrial lift trucks excel in applications requiring tight manoeuvring or transporting long loads sideways trough standard sized doors or narrow aisle ways. The sidewinder's unique, Omni-Directional movement allows it to travel in all directions thus making it an ideal vehicle to work in tight spaces where turns are not possible and finite control is a must. The truck features 48 volt transistor controls with state-of-the-art technology, infinitely variable travel, lift and lower speeds, excellent visibility, ergonomic controls and operator comfort. http://www.airtrax.com filed under: transport Property spectrum: Degrees of freedom The degrees of freedom relates to the ability of components to translate and rotate along the x, y, and z axis. Increasing the number of degrees of freedom in a system can bring increased operability, flexibility, and dynamism.
	Grooved fly fishing lines
	This month we selected the submission of Philip Keenan from HP. Fishing equipment supplier Airflo consulted Ex-racing driver and Airflo Pro Staffer, Masahara Katsumata on how to improve their fishing lines. He suggested that they looked towards racing tyre technology for the next development in flylines which have ridges running along the entire tyre. They developed a 3D surface profile in their lines with the effect that running ridges along the entire line reduced friction between the rod guides and provided an additional level of stiffness and directionality for accurate casting. The grooves also retained a certain amount of water that provided increased lubrication, also making the lines self cleaning. Their new fishing lines have enabled them to penetrate the impenetrable Japan markets and conservative USA markets. http://www.flylines.com filed under: leisure

Please do not hesitate to send us a great innovation you have spotted. We might include it in our next month issue.


CREAX seminar
If you enjoy CREAX newsletters, you will enjoy our hands-on Systematic Innovation seminar. Our next 2day seminar is scheduled for the 27th & 28th of September.

CREAX also offers exclusive company specific corporate seminars. Participants learn how to apply the Systematic Innovation Methodology in their day-to-day job in an interactive way. (more info)


Over the last years, over 500 people subscribed and participated with enthusiasm to the Systematic Innovation Methodology seminars. CREAX trains people both during company-specific in-house seminars, and open training seminars:


Maarten Uleyn wins prize for the "Best Prototype"
Maarten Uleyn, Master in industrial sciences department Industrial design PIH, has won the prize for the "Best Prototype" with his Snowcarver design.
He developed his thesis according to the TRIZ-methodology under the guidance of CREAX.
The innovation of the Snowcarver is found in the hinged mini-snowboards found underneath. These are based on the principle of a normal skateboard. They make it possible to turn without the board bending itself. The rubber turning-mechanisms are made in different hardness’s so that the user can choose his own snow boarding properties.
His entry was also a laureate at the international ECO-design contest 'Designing a sustainable future'.
Congratulations to Maarten!

New reseller
Pitotech from Taiwan has joined the team of our resellers.

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