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Crowdsourcing Hurricane Relief and Rescue Efforts in Houston

Sep-01-17 By IdeaConnection
While the world looked on in shock at the pictures coming out of Houston, Texas, some people swung into action, developing crowdsourcing initiatives to help rescue victims and coordinate relief efforts to flood-hit areas.

Their actions have helped to save countless lives.

Imagination Quotes to Inspire Innovators

Aug-25-17 By IdeaConnection
With imagination at the heart of every creative innovator and problem solver, here is a handful of imagination quotes to get yours going.

"I think nature's imagination Is so much greater than man's, she's never going to let us relax". Richard Feynman

Researchers Devise a Way for AI to Boost Innovation

Aug-18-17 By IdeaConnection
In one giant leap for AI and innovation, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have come up with a method that allows computers to mine databases of patents, inventions and research papers, to create new products and solve problems.

What scientists have done is devise a way for computers to find analogies, that is comparisons between very different methods and problems that have underlying similarities.

Protecting Forests via Open Innovation

Aug-11-17 By IdeaConnection
The internet and cheap air travel may well have made the world a smaller place, but there are still many uncharted areas, which we now know a little bit more about thanks to open innovation.

A crowd has counted the planet's drylands forests and in the process charted forests that have never previously been mapped.

Announcing the 4th Annual World Open Innovation Conference

Aug-04-17 By IdeaConnection
Do you want to hear about the latest open innovation research?  Are you keen to know more about how open innovation can help your business?

If so, point your feet toward Silicon Valley, San Francisco this coming December for the 4th Annual World Open Innovation Conference (WOIC 2017).

Easing Traffic Congestion with Open Innovation

Jul-28-17 By IdeaConnection
Hair-pullingly frustrating, hazardous to health and a huge time drain, traffic congestion on freeways and in our towns and cities is one of the most irritating blights of modern life.

Without changes, the problems will clearly become worse over time.  To stop this from happening and to give us all space to move, transit authorities in numerous countries have turned to the crowd for help.  Smart minds are needed to develop solutions.

Here is a rundown of a few open innovation initiatives that have attempted to unclog our traffic-filled roads.

NASA’s Open Innovation Origami Challenge

Jul-21-17 By IdeaConnection
In reaching for the stars NASA also reaches for the crowd.

At the moment, the space agency is seeking folding concepts for a radiation shield for a Mars transfer vehicle. It needs to be something that can easily be packed, because with regards to space travel mass means money.  And bulky items take up room that could otherwise be occupied by instrumentation or people.

Crowdsourcing Project for the Health of the Oceans

Jul-14-17 By IdeaConnection
Capelin are small fish found in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic oceans. They are forage fish, which means they are an important part of the marine ecosystem as a food source of other species such as seals and puffins.  They also play a role in keeping the oceans healthy.

And the more we know about these fish the greater the insights into the health of our oceans and the animals that live there.  But therein lies the problem, because knowledge of capelin is lacking.  And so scientists are calling on the crowd to help.

Sephora’s Open Innovation Approach to New Products

Jul-07-17 By IdeaConnection
The internet has redefined the relationship between businesses and customers.  Many firms are now turning to their audience for help and insights from the very beginning of the product development process.

One of the latest companies to do this is the prominent retailer Sephora. 

Open Innovation Call for a New State Flag for Nebraska

Jun-29-17 By IdeaConnection
According to recent listings Nebraska's state flag is the second worst in the United States. One criticism leveled at it is that the design is hardly memorable.  Perhaps that is the reason why nobody noticed it was flying upside down over the state capitol for ten consecutive days.

Well, State Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha has had enough and wants to add a bit of pizzazz to the flag.  So, he's calling on the crowd to come up with their own designs.