Dynamics is one of the 40 Inventive Principles of Problem Solving.
It’s true Almost every washing machine has a block of cement which helps control vibration during the spin cycle. This blocks typically weighs more than 50 lbs and contributes a third of the weight of the machine. This increases shipping costs, not to mention the difficulty when delivering the machine and moving it later. A…
Why do I want to fit Principles into SCAMPER approaches? In a recent post (check it here first) I explore how SCAMPER can embrace the 40 Principles of Inventive Problem Solving. The goal is to wrap the complexity of the Principles in the approachability of SCAMPER. Modify defined in Applied Imagination Under the category of…
Top Gun “That’s right, Iceman. I am dangerous.” Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell Some parts of the 1986 movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise as Maverick are downright cringe worthy, but the flight sequences and lingering pans over the gorgeous F-14 more than make up for it. In this Youtube video, former Northrop Grumman VP Mike…
Mercedes-AMG new F1 engine In 2014, Formula 1 introduced a new set of rules requiring all participating cars have engines with turbos and some form of electric hybridization. The approach taken by some teams uses what they call MGU-K (motor generator unit – kinetic) which is the same process used in most road going hybrids…
MultiPro Tailgate I’ve had occasion to talk about a tailgate once before, with the unique flip or turn tailgate on the Honda Ridgeline. GMC’s exclusive MultiPro Tailgate is another innovation aimed at increasing the functionality of a pickup. The operator can fold the primary tailgate, the inner tailgate, and the load stop into a total…
Incredible response This Kickstarter project received $1,330,293 in pledges and 6,480 backers, far exceeding its original goal of $100,000. The product The primary innovations here are the merging (Principle 5 – Merging) of a down jacket with a battery-operated heating system. Principle 6 – Universality is also at play, as the same battery can be…
E-Fan X All-electric airplanes are already in service in limited applications like trainers and for towing gliders. These small planes boast low energy use and low maintenance, but battery capacity and weight remain limiting factors for longer range aircraft. Airbus, Rolls Royce and Siemens are thus employing the same strategy used by automobile manufacturers before…
This is another smack-your-head, why-didn’t-I-think-of-it innovation. It’s a table made up of segments (Principle 1 – Segmentation) that converts to a shelf unit (Principle 15 – Dynamics) easily by turning on a pivot (Principle 12 – Equipotentiality). Check out the video: What can we learn? Like the Youtube video says, there are some bits of…
The problem As I described in an earlier post, some elementary students in Ontario were suspended for incomplete immunization records. This series of posts is an effort to come up with ideas using each of the 40 Principles. Remember the cardinal rule: there are no stupid ideas, only ideas that may serve to inspire the…
The sliding compound-miter saw is an orgy of Principle 15 – Dynamics. It can be adjusted for both vertical and horizontal angle and run along a slide to handle wide boards. Many have extensions to support long boards and adjustable stops for repetitive cuts at a specific length. This is compounded (yes!) by the use…