MoreInspiration Newsletter March 2008

Dear CREAX newsreader,

In this months CREAX newsletter, our biggest news item, is the launch of More Inspiration, a website with a collection of inspirational and innovative examples from all sectors.

The examples of this issue are:

Multi-touch computer - computer reads finger(s) movement and pressure	BrowseGoods - browse an online store like a real store
Mag-Wind - vertical axis turbine for your home	Robo-Builder - robot builds house in 24 hours
Power purse - let your purse charge your phone	Company news

Innovation Highlights

	Multi-touch computer - computer reads finger(s) movement and pressure
	Until now, the touch screen has been limited to the uninspiring sort found at an ATM or an airport ticket kiosk--basically screens with electronic buttons that recognize one finger at a time. Jefferson Han, a research scientist for New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences has a touch display, that redefines the way commands are given to a computer: It uses both movement and pressure - from multiple inputs, whether 2 fingers or 20 - to convey information to the silicon brain under the display. "Touch is one of the most intuitive things in the world," Han says. "Instead of being one step removed, like you are with a mouse and keyboard, you have direct manipulation. It's a completely natural reaction--to see an object and want to touch it." http://www.fastcompany.com/ filed under: electronics, computers & accessories, technologies 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.
	BrowseGoods - browse an online store like a real store
	BrowseGoods allows a user to intuitively browse through a large catalog of products and control his or her own experience. This is very similar to the offline shopping experience where the store has organized products into different departments, then different aisles, then different shelves, then finally different sections on those shelves. With BrowseGoods, if I'm looking for a watch, it's the same type of experience. I click on the watch department, then I zoom in on Men's, then I pan over and zoom in on "casual", then "leather banded", then the brand (Seiko, Diesel, Disney, Kenneth Cole, etc.). Once in this section, I can zoom in even more to see the individual watches and then pan around to find the one I like. At any time, I can click on a specific watch to see the details. The screen that pops up allows me to click through to buy, email the item, or save it. If you save an item and zoom out, you'll see a flag indicating it, like a pinpoint on a map. http://browsegoods.com/ filed under: advertising , retail Property spectrum: Market evolution This trend is focused on the recipients of the products and processes we design. Customer expectations increase with time. In order to remain competitive, the jump to the next step needs to be taken. This service is similar to ordinary shopping but with the advantage of being always available.
	Mag-Wind - vertical axis turbine for your home
	It's a "Magnetically-Levitated Axial Flux Alternator with Programmable Variable Coil Resistance, Vertical Axis Wind Turbine', and it has just come on the market. The center hub floats on a magnet, and the coils that generate the power are at the outer ring, with magnets at the tips of the blades flying over them at high speed. It is designed for home installation in urban settings. The turbine has no problem with snow and ice and regarding noise, it is inaudible. Unlike normal turbines, it doesn't mind a little turbulence, works well in developed areas, and gets an extra kick from something called "the roof effect" -evidently ."A roof with a 10-foot vertical rise and a 30% angle will provide nearly a 200% increase in the amount of wind energy that is available to be turned into electricity. The roof effect increases the power yielded by operation of the wind turbine dramatically." http://mag-wind.com/ filed under: architecture, energy Property spectrum: State Changing the state of a product is one of the most prominent properties in Directed Variation. It describes an evolution of products and processes starting with solid matter and then moving to liquids, gases, sprays and finally fields. A magnetic field in this turbine is used to generate electricity.
	Robo-Builder - robot builds house in 24 hours
	The first prototype a watertight shell of a two-storey house built in 24 hours without a single builder on site will be erected in California before April. By building almost an entire house from just two materials, concrete and gypsum, the robots will eliminate the need for dozens of traditional components, including floorboards, wooden window frames and possibly even wallpaper. It may eventually be possible to use specially treated gypsum instead of glass window panes. Engineers on both projects say the robots will not only cut costs and avoid human delays but liberate the normal family homes from the conventional designs of pitched roofs, right-angled walls and rectangular windows. The architectural options will explode, and the possibility is even greater to be able to build curves and domes as easily as straight walls. It involves computer-controlled robotic nozzles which pipe quick-drying liquid gypsum and concrete to form walls, floors and roofs. http://www.discover.com/ filed under: architecture, building & construction, machines & engines 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. This robot will build a house on its own, without the need of human involvement
	Power purse - let your purse charge your phone
	This month we selected the submission of Floris Van Cauwelaert from de Persgroep. For his design class project, Joe Hynek, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, wanted to make something that combines form and function. His solution was to apply thin, flexible solar cells, developed by Ames Laboratory researchers, to a handbag in order to recharge batteries and other electronic devices. Hynek’s first efforts have concentrated on accessories like purses and hats, because they don’t have to stand up to washing machines. This could also be great for backpacks for students and for hikers. http://pubs.acs.org/ filed under: electronics, environment, textile & clothing Property spectrum: Number of functions This property describes integrating different functions in your product to increase the user convenience. Some of the benefits of adding additional functions are: reducing number of systems required, improved operability and in this purse, adding a system to recharge batteries and other electronic devices.

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 April 2007 and the following course for the 20th & 21st of June.

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)




More Inspiration launched
This month, we launched our inspiration database site More Inspiration.
More Inspiration is a compilation of innovations in products and technologies, classified by Property, Function and Industry. These are classified according to the CREAX innovation methodology and will inspire to innovate your product or technology.

More Inspiration makes innovation easy by showing you what others have done so it can boost your creativity and inspire your thinking.




Job opportunities at CREAX
This year, CREAX has quite a line up of new projects. This has caused us to start looking for new colleagues. If you are interested in joining the CREAX team, we are looking for the following profiles:
 - Innovation engineer (3 job offers remaining)
 - Business Development Manager
 - .Net Software Developer

Upcoming events
CREAX will be present at the following upcoming events:

15-16/03 - 5th European Business Summit
Topic: Reform to Perform: Europe is our Business
Brussels - Belgium

Seminar data for 2007
Our hands-on Systematic Innovations seminars are planned for the following dates:

• 25th & 26th April
• 20th & 21st June
• 26th & 27th Sepetember
• 24th & 25th October
• 28th & 29th November

Miscellaneous

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