Category Archives: Innovation

Filtration in the Popular Media: Ultrafine Particles and 3D Printing

Dr. Brent Stephens and his co-authors at the Illinois Institute of Technology attracted a good deal of popular press attention (TechCrunch Article) with their recent publication of, “Ultrafine paticle emissions from desktop 3-D Printers” in the journal of Atmospheric Environment. … Continue reading

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Peak Cable & Peak Car?

A September article by Bloomberg coined the term ‘Cord-Never’ in line with those who are ‘Cord-Cutters’ and have surrendered their cable or satellite subscription services.  The full economic impact of Peak Scenarios hit me while listening to an expert media … Continue reading

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Peak Printer and Newspaper as a Historical Accident

Market research firm Photizo Group provided a recent CompuWorld article on the current state of consumer printers with the graph on the right which shows that 2010 is expected to be ‘Peak Printer’ with just over 16 million global units … Continue reading

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3D Printing: Chasm Crossing Applications

I’m a skeptic on 3D printing.  In talking with a good friend a few weeks ago, the challenge was made, “Okay, I get it that you’re a skeptic.  If you were managing that business, what would you do?”  Challenge accepted … Continue reading

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Big Trends: Robotics and Automation

Improvements and cost reductions in sensors, software and sub-components are driving down the cost of robotics and automation.  As the use of these systems increase, the potential impact is significant. Tomorrow, Thursday, June 27 is the day the results of … Continue reading

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X is a Historical Accident

This article from paidContent explores the question, “What if the ‘mass media’ era was just an accident of history?”  Matthew Ingram, the author, talks about how there is “pervasive nostalgia” within the media business for the good old days.  The … Continue reading

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Materials Science Reporting: Stronger, Lighter Elevator Cables

Reporting on innovations in the materials science field tends to follow the Gartner Hype Cycle – most early reports are vague, full of promises, and ultimately a few years later, nothing has been delivered.  The Economist’s recent article on innovations … Continue reading

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Email is the New Telegraph

India currently sends about 5,000 telegrams a day.  The same telegram that was pioneered in 1837 by Samuel Morse.  Telegram service is scheduled to end ‘next month’ according to the article and India’s system is the last of its type … Continue reading

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X is the New Y!: Product Succession

“Cycling is the new golf” proclaimed The Economist in an April 2013 article, which caused me to go dig up an older series of articles that began in 2006 stating, “Is World of Warcraft the New Golf?”  Maybe we should … Continue reading

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Peak X: Applying Hubbert’s Peak Theory Beyond Natural Resources

Shell Oil Geologist Dr. M. King Hubbert (1903 – 1989) coined the phrase ‘Peak Oil’ based on his observations about petroleum production rates for a given geographic area.  Hubbert’s “Peak Theory” would be broadly stated as, “for a given geographic … Continue reading

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