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U.S. Locations to be Inspired By

Apr-22-13 By IdeaConnection
For some people it’s the bath, others the shower, and still more a walk in the park.  These are just some of the places where people believe they have their best ideas.

If none of these locations work for you, try some travel across the United States.  USA Today has published a top ten list of locations to be inspired by.

Crowdfunding Site for Kids

Apr-19-13 By IdeaConnection
Whether being silent for an hour, cleaning front yards, dressing up in costumes, baking cookies, or auctioning toys children are dab hands at raising money for good causes.

Their job is now being made even easier with a crowdsourced fundraising tool called piggybackr.

Open Innovation Contest for Augmented Reality Glasses

Apr-17-13 By IdeaConnection
Augmented reality glasses are hitting the news in a big way. They provide views of the real-world augmented by video, graphics and sound. Currently there’s a lot of interest in Google’s 'Project Glass' research, but other companies are also making significant leaps.

One of those is Epson with its Android-based Moverio glasses.  They went on sale last year and provide a transparent display that connects to Wi-Fi and can project images onto two screens.

To expand on what this cutting-edge technology can offer the marketplace the company has launched an open innovation contest for ideas. The best ones will have a crack at up to $16,000 in prize money.

GE Releases Patents to Home Inventors to Inspire New Products

Apr-15-13 By IdeaConnection
With the launch of an ambitious project to inspire inventions, General Electric (GE) has joined an expanding list of large corporations that are co-creating with consumers.

Companies typically guard their patents fiercely, but GE is giving inventors access to a raft of its patents, hoping they'll be able to turn them into winning products.

Global Crowdfunding to Raise $5.1 Billion in 2013

Apr-13-13 By IdeaConnection
Crowdfunding is currently enjoying an unprecedented accelerated growth phase, and exerting a powerful impact on enterprise innovation, government policies, and financial institutions.

According to research firm Massolution’s annual 2013CF - Crowdfunding Industry Report, crowdfunding platforms raised $2.7 billion in 2012.  That represented an 81% increase over 2011 and more than one million campaigns were successfully funded.

Open Innovation Lessons From the Food Industry

Apr-11-13 By IdeaConnection
Nutraceuticals World, a magazine for manufacturers of dietary supplements, functional foods and nutritional beverages is running an article series on open innovation.  It aims to define the concept and help companies in all sectors identify barriers and opportunities.

In the current issue industry insiders are offering their thoughts and experiences of actual OI practices.

Tips on Open Innovation and Social Media

Apr-08-13 By IdeaConnection
The UK’s The Guardian newspaper is offering its small business readers a series of tips on how to make the most of social media communities to innovate.

Social media is more than a tool for customer engagement.  It can benefit companies by giving them access to smart and creative individuals who are willing to share ideas with brands they believe in.

Crowdsourcing for Historic Relics

Apr-06-13 By IdeaConnection
Archaeologists in Trim a town in County Meath, Ireland are currently digging and sieving the earth on a patch of wasteland near a supermarket.

They're on the hunt for the bones of Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, a French nobleman who lived in the 13th century and whose remains are believed to be buried there.

But the researchers are not searching for the skeleton on their own.  They’re being helped by the local community and people who've heard about the project on the web and through news channels.

Open Innovation Contest Winners Awarded Big Money Prizes

Apr-04-13 By IdeaConnection
General Electric (GE) and partners have just announced the winners of its first two ‘Industrial Internet Quests’. – The Flight Quest and the Hospital Quest. These were open innovation challenges issued in November 2012 to create new algorithms to reduce air travel delays and increase efficiency for hospitals.

A total prize pool of $600,000 is being distributed among the winners of both quests.

Open Innovation Call to Improve ‘Sight’ of First Humanoid Robot in Space

Mar-31-13 By IdeaConnection
The first humanoid robot in space needs some help.  His colleagues would like him to have some improved 'sight'.

Robonaut 2 (also known as ‘R2’) arrived on the International Space Station in February 2011.  It was designed to help assist astronauts with tasks too dangerous or too mundane for them to perform.  Now NASA wants it to be given even more capabilities.