IdeaConnection Innovation
BLOG

The Roles of Citizen Innovators

Jan-19-14 By IdeaConnection
In numerous towns and cities across the world, citizens are having more of a say in sorting out civic problems. Through open innovation and crowdsourcing initiatives thousands of people are not only involved in identifying particular challenges such as pollution, poor water quality and graffiti, but also in designing and implementing the solutions.

Local and regional authorities realize they can’t go it alone and need the smarts of those who have vested interests in the outcomes. The added bonus of these activities is they bring the governed closer to those who govern, making for a more transparent, open society.

In an article in Journal Sentinal, Satish Nambisan, a professor of entrepreneurship and technology management at the Lubar School of Business identified four roles that citizens play in civic innovation and problem solving.

Global Innovation Challenge for the Future of Cars

Jan-16-14 By IdeaConnection
Student innovators around the world have just one month left to enter the massive global Valeo Innovation Challenge. The contest is a search for a product or system that will make the cars of 2030 more intelligent and intuitive.

So far, 300 teams from 40 countries and representing 254 universities have signed up, but there’s still time to take part as the closing date for project submissions is February 14th.

Innovation and Crowdsourcing: A Great Double Act

Jan-14-14 By IdeaConnection
The world loves a great double act. Think Laurel and Hardy, coffee and chocolate, Bogart and Bacall and gin and tonic. In the business environment, innovation and crowdsourcing are ideal bedfellows that go together well.

In an insightful interview, Mindjet’s Vice President and US Innovation Services Leader, Michele McConomy discusses her thoughts on crowdsourcing, the role it plays in innovation and how companies are making it work for them.

Awesome Innovations to Improve Health Outcomes

Jan-10-14 By IdeaConnection
A smart watch for patients prone to convulsions, seizures and tremors, and a smart monitoring shirt able to check people's heart rate, temperature and activity were among the big winners of the inaugural Everyday Health Awards for Innovation.

The new annual prize not only honors outstanding technological innovations that aim to improve health outcomes, but also acts as a catalyst to help innovators achieve great things in the medical field.

US Army Crowdsources Innovation with its Soldiers

Jan-08-14 By IdeaConnection
The US Army is taking a new approach to crowdsourcing by asking a new crowd for thoughts, ideas and concepts – its soldiers.

By seeking early input from end users the military outfit hopes to get smarter and faster innovations.

Which is Your Favorite Development Innovation?

Jan-06-14 By IdeaConnection
The Guardian newspaper in the UK has compiled a list of development innovations from the past 12 months and is asking members of the public to vote for their favorite one. Whether you take part or not, the list is a testament to the creative outpouring of inventive minds.

Among the innovations for the common good are an app that helps reunite families after a natural disaster and the WaterWheel that makes life easier for women in India.

Star Trek Innovations the World is Waiting For (probably)

Jan-03-14 By IdeaConnection
In exploring strange, new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations the crew of the USS Enterprise invented a slew of futuristic gadgets, some of which we now use in our everyday lives. The same is true of Jean-Luc Picard’s band of men and women and the crew of Deep Space Nine.

A current article in What Culture is highlighting five technological advances that come to us courtesy of Star Trek and five that we’re still waiting for.

Scientists Tap the Crowd for New Antibiotics

Dec-31-13 By IdeaConnection
The evolutionary arms race between humans and bacteria has given rise to MRSA, the hospital superbug that is resistant to many types of antibiotics.

As bacteria evolve, their immune systems become impervious to the therapeutics that we throw at them. So scientists develop more powerful drugs, and for a while they work, until the bugs become resistant to these as well.

The ILIAD Project is a citizen science, crowdsourcing initiative that aims to find new antibiotics by asking people to perform their own trials at home using pre-packed kits.

Failed Innovation Predictions

Dec-29-13 By IdeaConnection
At this time of year more than at any other, the soothsayers come out of the woodwork to predict what’s going to happen in the near future with innovations that could revolutionize our lives.

Sticking your neck out like this is a bit of a gamble and the province of the brave, foolish or supremely confident. History is littered with dozens of examples of people who’ve had to eat their words.

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing, but even so, for a bit of fun we thought we’d publish some memorable quotes from those who got it oh so wrong.

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” (1895) - Lord Kelvin, mathematician and physicist, president of the British Royal Society.

IBM’s Predictions of the Top 5 Innovations Coming to You Soon

Dec-29-13 By IdeaConnection
For years, man has been making predictions about the next big thing around the corner, the science and technology revolutions that are going to enhance our lives, principally by making them easier, more fun and less stressful. It’s a risky business as unfortunately for the speakers, many future predictions crash and burn. Remember Betamax anyone?

Still, that doesn' stop people from staring into the future to envisage what’s coming next. IBM has revealed its predictions for the five biggest innovations that are going to change our lives within the next five years. They are: