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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.

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.

Mattel’s New Open Innovation Portal

Jun-23-17 By IdeaConnection
Mattel, Inc, the American multinational toy manufacturing company is now embracing open innovation in a big way. Engineers, inventors and indeed anyone with a great idea for a toy can now submit it to the company's online portal.

Previously, if you wanted to submit an idea to Mattel, you needed to be already established in the field or be represented by a toy broker. But those restrictions have fallen away. Now the company's doors are wide open to external input.

Big Data Project for Heart Health

Jun-16-17 By IdeaConnection
From predicting epidemics and helping to cure diseases to improving quality of life and identifying drug targets, big data is driving healthcare innovation forward.

To capitalize on this potential, a new open innovation project has been launched to help improve heart health diagnosis.

Nokia’s Big Open Innovation Challenge

Jun-09-17 By IdeaConnection
The Nokia Open Innovation Challenge is an eagerly awaited event in the open innovation calendar.

The 2017 edition of the contest has just been launched and it is asking innovators all over the world for their big ideas for the Internet of Things (IoT).

Open Innovation Meets Democracy on Malta

May-26-17 By IdeaConnection
The island country of Malta may start to change the way it does politics, by taking an open innovation approach.

The aim is to bridge the gap between politicians and the public, allowing individuals greater participation in the democratic process.

Can Open Innovation Keep Plastics Out of Our Oceans?

May-19-17 By IdeaConnection
According to the Prince of Wales, plastic in the world's oceans is a "growing ecological and human disaster".  He was speaking at the launch of a huge open innovation initiative to tackle this environmental menace.

His words follow a report by the Dame Ellen MacArthur Foundation that if solutions are not found, the world's oceans will contain more plastics than fish, by weight by the year 2050.

Embracing Open Innovation to Prevent Complacency

May-12-17 By IdeaConnection
In an interview with The Nikkei, a daily financial newspaper, Honda Motor's President and CEO Takahiro Hachigo talked about the importance of open innovation to his company.

Among its principle reasons for reaching out to external sources of expertise is to continue to be competitive and to prevent complacency from settling in.