CREAX Directed Variation newsletter

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:

Zapped crude oil	2-way, reversible shape memory surfaces
Dissolve-a-way labels	Odour recorder
Finger protecting hinges	company news

Innovation Highlights

	Zapped crude oil flows quicker through pipes
	Zapping thick crude oil with a magnetic or electric field could make it flow more smoothly through pipes. The technique, which reduces the viscosity of the liquid, could make transporting crude through cold underwater pipes easier and cheaper, researchers claim. The cost of transporting oil is a major factor in the energy economy, although the type of oil being moved is changing. "More heavy oil is being pumped. Lighter crude is being found less and less," says Rongjia Tao, a physicist at Temple University in Philadelphia, US. http://www.newscientisttech.com filed under: energy, technologies, materials Property Spectrum: State One of the most prominent property spectra is the state. It describes an evolution of products and processes starting with solid matter and then moving to liquids, gases and finally fields. Each step in this direction can deliver significant benefits. In this case the heating system has evolved to field.
	2-way, reversible shape memory surfaces
	Due to a phenomenon called the shape memory effect (SME), certain "memory metals" can be distorted and then brought back to their original shape by a simple temperature change. While a one-way memory effect has inspired applications since the '60s, and a two-way memory effect can also make objects remember two different shapes, scientists have recently discovered that the effect can now be realized at micro or nano scale on surface - dents can be turned into "mirrored" bumps. http://www.physorg.com filed under: nanotechnology, materials Property spectrum: Smart materials Smart materials are able to adapt automatically to their environment or change in response to a stimulus. The trend is for materials to become increasingly "smart" and for systems to increasingly incorporate smart materials. Smart materials are especially useful for eliminating contradictions in systems.
	Dissolve-a-way labels
	After labeling date and contents of leftovers, these self-stick tags perform a disappearing act-dissolving away completely in hot or cold water in just 30 seconds! No peeling off or struggling for you, and they leave no sticky residue... just a clean container to label again! http://www.educater.ie filed under: packaging 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.
	Odour recorder
	Engineers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan are building an odour recorder capable of doing just that. Simply point the gadget at a freshly baked cookie, for example, and it will analyse its odour and reproduce it for you using a host of non-toxic chemicals. The device could be used to improve online shopping by allowing you to sniff foods or fragrances before you buy, to add an extra dimension to virtual reality environments and even to assist military doctors treating soldiers remotely by recreating bile, blood or urine odours that might help a diagnosis. http://www.newscientisttech.com filed under: electronics, pharmaceutical, chemistry, advertising Property spectrum: Use of senses The property is about increasing interaction of systems with human senses. The trend relates only to the number of senses incorporated into a system, not the sequence. In all, there are five key senses involved in the trend - see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. Engaging more of the user’s senses may improve interfaces and enhance user experiences.
	Finger protecting hinges
	This month we selected the submission of Jono Hey from Berkeley. Injuries and partial fingers amputations caused by trapping the fingers in the doors is one of the prime recordings of hand injuries among children. The aim of FLEXOOR Hinges is to achieve on risks of door-trapping a situation similar to that of electric risks. If we introduce a finger into an electric socket, a safety device will limit the discharge preventing serious damages . Similarly, the FLEXOOR hinges create a flexible joint in the doors, so the exerted pressure is limited and the mutilations and serious wounds are avoided. http://www.flexoor.com filed under: building & construction, safety

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

CREAX company news

CREAX seminar
If you enjoy CREAX newsletters, you will enjoy our hands-on Systematic Innovation seminar. Our next 2day seminar is scheduled for the 25th & 26th of October.

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:


ETRIA TRIZ FUTURE Conference
We are expecting close to 200 people to attend the ETRIA TRIZ Future Conference, which takes place from 9 to 11 October in Kortrijk, Belgium.

This conference combines aspects of TRIZ with new tendencies in quality management. Both have a common goal: innovating products and processes. Besides general tutorials for the broad public, academic papers and applied examples of users are also presented. TRIZ Future welcomes, among other, TRIZ experts from around the world. Speakers from companies like Samsung, Airbus, Volvo, Bombardier and P&G are sharing their experience.

This ETRIA conference is organized by CREAX, the Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen dept. PIH and the KU Leuven, in cooperation with the Flemish Quality Management Center, the Entrepreneur Centre Kortrijk and the city of Kortrijk. All details can be found at www.triz.be. Registrations are still open!. For additional information or questions, please contact n@creax.com.

Upcoming events
CREAX has some busy months ahead, with participation in the following events:

02-03/10 - Contact NL
Eindhoven - Netherlands

03/10 - Bizidee launch event
Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg - Hasselt - Belgium

09-11/10 - TRIZ Future conference
Kortrijk - Belgium

03/11 - Innovation conference
Istanbul - Turkey

06-08/11 - 5th Annual World Food & Innovation Forum
Dublin - Ireland

15-16/11 - Creativity World Forum
Gent - Belgium

21-22/11 - Conference Innovation
Prague - Czech Republic

23-24/11 - Innova
Brussels - Belgium

CREAX team extended
As many of you may be aware, over the past year or so, the CREAX. team has been expanding constantly. We are happy to report that we are, once again, enjoying a full complement of staff and I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the two newest members of our team.
Thomas Deloof (right) and Jef Vandenberghe (left) joined our team early September. Thomas joined our crew after an internship for his studies. Jef is our new expert innovation physicist. He brings with him a combination of knowledge on physics, astronomy and maths. At younger age Jef passed the entrance examination at the Belgian Aviation School. But now he decided to spread his wings and fly CREAX.

Miscellaneous

• Tell a friend about this newsletter.


• You missed one of the previous CREAX newsletters? Get an overview of all our issues.
  
• Please send all suggestions & remarks to us at newsletter@creax.com.
  
• Subscribe for free to this newsletter.
  
• If you don't want to receive this newsletter any longer, unsubscribe here.