LilyPad uses solar power to keep our devices running strong

By on January 26, 2012 in technology

I love working with inventors. I don’t work with Dave Foster, but I’m sharing his interesting (and much welcomed) idea: using solar power to charge our electronic devices. Foster came up with a case he calls the LilyPad which does precisely that. The LilyPad uses new solar ink technology to convert outdoor and indoor light into [...]

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Precise Forecasting Helps Maximize Wind Power

Precise Forecasting Helps Maximize Wind Power

By on January 23, 2012 in Trends

The winds of change may be unpredictable, but forecasts are improving. New partnerships between energy companies and government agencies are helping to predict wind speeds far enough in advance to save energy companies billions of dollars. Power companies, grid operators, and energy traders often pay close attention to the nightly forecasts on television news, but [...]

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Six Innovative Ideas to Watch

Six Innovative Ideas to Watch

By on January 19, 2012 in Trends

I’m passing along some ideas from Harvard Business Review that emerged in 2011 as powerful “innovation invitations.” HBR says these seem certain to intensify in global power and influence, and I do agree that they will spark innovation differentiation in the months ahead: 1. The Slacktivism Co-Opt As much a term of derision as global [...]

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CoDev 2012 is coming Feb. 13

By on January 16, 2012 in Conferences, Open Innovation

We can’t ignore the fact that Open Innovation has become a critical component within the innovation framework of top companies.  The challenge you now face is fueling your innovation engine in this less-than-optimal climate! That’s why I’m inviting you to join me, as I team up once again with Management Roundtable and PDMA for the [...]

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Can an iPad substitute for a passport?

Can an iPad substitute for a passport?

By on January 16, 2012 in Innovation In The News

Here is an interesting idea sparked by a man who recently entered the U.S. from Canada without his passport. Instead he presented the border authorities with his iPad, which contained a scanned image of his passport.   I wonder if this is a sign of things to come?  Read on: Martin Reisch said Tuesday a slightly [...]

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The World’s First Vertical Forest Is Greening Up Milan

By on January 9, 2012 in Green Innovation

Thanks to urban sprawl and auto & factory emissions, Milan is one of the most polluted cities in Italy. But Italian architect Stefano Boeri is greening up Milan with a “Vertical Forest.” The project took inspiration from traditional Italian towers covered in ivy. Boeri simply multiplied that effect on two soaring apartment towers. Can you [...]

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Innovation being used to reshape teaching

By on December 19, 2011 in Disruptive Innovation

Innovation isn’t just limited to the business world. Just like businesses, educational institutions also have a need to be innovative. In my consultancy I am seeing more and more institutions that are acting on the realization for the need to improve the art and science of education. They are looking to create an improved culture [...]

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Government behind variety of innovations

By on December 12, 2011 in Innovators

Say what you will about our government, but I can’t help imagine that some of our most incredible inventions and technologies wouldn’t have been made possible without the support from federal servants.  I was reflecting about this recently in my newspaper column, and how when we think of innovation, we often think of new products [...]

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A little charge goes a long way

By on December 7, 2011 in Cool Inventions and gadgets

I’ve had laptops and phones that can keep a charge for a long time, and then there are the ones that started out powerful but lost longevity over time. We all plug in our gadgets, but I leaving them plugged in can decrease the battery’s lifespan, and we’ve all learned that the hard way. I [...]

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Israel is Developing Cancer Vaccine

By on December 5, 2011 in Health and Wellness

Some of the latest innovation trends are coming from the nation of Israel, as I’ve blogged about before.  A new therapeutic vaccine was recently developed in that tiny nation, and it promises to keep up to 90 percent of cancers from coming back. This kind of development is increasingly important as our population lives longer. [...]

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