MoreInspiration Newsletter June 2007

Dear CREAX newsreader,

This months CREAX newsletter has a selection of innovations from the automotive, advertising, lighting and micro-processing industries.
The highlights of this issue are:

Beamvertising - images projected on shopfronts	Streetlights that adjust to moonlight
GreenCards - business cards that grow	Micro-MIM - micro metal powder injection molding
Bionic car - car concept copied from the boxfish	Company news

	Beamvertising - images projected on shopfronts
	Holland's biggest chewing gum brand 'Sportlife' introduces: Beamvertising. Images of a moving skateboarder are projected on shopfronts and outer walls of houses in several big cities in The Netherlands. They did it to draw attention to a promotion called 'Can you make it to the pack?'. The video can be seen at MoreInspiration.com. Parasite is a similar projects but is used in the subway. Parasite is a projection-system that can be attached to subways and other trains. Using the speed of the vehicle as parameter for the projected content, the projection starts with the train moving inside a tunnel. See the video at http://home.digital.udk-berlin.de/ http://www.sportlife.com/ filed under: advertising, computers & accessories Property spectrum: Market evolution This trend is focused on the recipients of the products and processes we design. Customer expectations increase with time. This kind of advertising allows the viewers to join the SportLife experience.
	Streetlights that adjust to moonlight
	Streetlights that adjust their light output according to the phases of the moon - this design idea was the winner of Metropolis Magazine's Next Generation design awards. These streetlights have light sensors built into them that are sensitive enough to detect the brightness of the moon, and dim themselves accordingly. For example, if there was a full moon with a clear sky, the lights would be dimmed to 10% of their power, whereas a moonless night would mean lights come on at full intensity. Since the streetlights would also make use of energy efficient LEDs, the combined savings would be 90-95% over a traditional streetlight. http://www.metropolismag.com/ filed under: energy, environment Property spectrum: Coordination This principle describes the coordination between components, systems, and their environments towards a common goal. Evolution is from a non-coordinated action between subsystem, system, and super-system elements to increasing coordination and synergy between them.
	GreenCards - business cards that grow
	GreenCards are business cards with embedded seeds. Once you have read the card, place it in a glass of water and within a few days it will start to grow. You can leave the card in the cup for as long as you want. Currently, the card is supplied with seeds from the Alfalfa plant. The cards can be designed by RC Cosmos or you can send them a picture for the card. They also use recycled paper for the business cards. http://www.rccosmos.org/ filed under: office, paper, nature Property spectrum: Number of functions This property describes integrating different functions in your product to increase the user convenience. Some of the benefits of adding additional functions are: reducing number of systems required, improved operability and in this business card, incorporating a new function.
	Micro-MIM - micro metal powder injection molding
	Modern advanced production techniques are fast moving into the realms of the fantastic, and micro metal powder injection molding (micro-MIM) is one of them. It has been possible for a long time to produce very small parts from stainless steel, but with micro-MIM, it is now possible to combine and shape different types of material such as a biocompatible titanium stirrup, a replacement for the small bone in the human ear. Before injection-molding miniature parts, the researchers mix the fine metal powder with an organic binding agent. The mixture can then be processed on an injection molding machine in the same way as a plastic. Following this, the binding agent is expelled from the component, which is then sintered to a high density. Components could be reinforced with higher-strength material in areas subject to particularly high stress, for example, or a part could be given special magnetic properties. http://www.gizmag.com/ filed under: healthcare, technologies, materials Property spectrum: Size Producers of all kinds of products are making their products smaller and smaller. You can notice the differences in the evolution of electronic devices over the years. Micro-MIM allows us to shape different types of materials.
	Bionic car - car concept copied from the boxfish
	This month we selected the submission of Andre de Zanger from Creativity Institute. Thinking the unthinkable. Looking beyond the horizon. Leaving familiar paths and giving new ideas a chance: that is the philosophy of DaimlerChrysler, the technological leader among automobile manufacturers. One such project was the Mercedes-Benz bionic car, a concept vehicle based on examples in nature, in which DaimlerChrysler has also transferred the diesel engine technology of the future to a fully functioning and practical car for everyday use. There is more to the boxfish than meets the eye: despite its angular body, it is an excellent swimmer whose cube-shaped structure is by no means a hindrance. On the contrary, the boxfish possesses unique characteristics and is a prime example of the ingenious inventions developed by nature over millions of years of evolution. The basic principle of this evolution is that nothing is superfluous and each part of the body has a purpose and sometimes several at once. Applied to automotive engineering, the boxfish is therefore an ideal example of rigidity and aerodynamics. Moreover, its rectangular anatomy is practically identical to the cross-section of a car body. And so the boxfish became the model for a so far unique automotive development project. http://wwwsg.daimlerchrysler.com/ filed under: automotive, nature Property spectrum: Shape We live in a three dimensional world, but many of the products we make are limited to one or two dimensions. This trend shows that the evolution to a 3D shape can help make it more aero dynamical, economical and mimic natural shapes.

Please do not hesitate to send us a great innovation you have spotted. We might include it in our next month issue.


CREAX seminar
If you enjoy CREAX newsletters, you will enjoy our hands-on Systematic Innovation seminar. Our June course is already fully booked. The next available 2day seminar is scheduled for the 4th & 5th of July 2007.

CREAX also offers exclusive company specific seminars. Participants learn how to apply the Systematic Innovation Methodology in their day-to-day job. (more info)

CREAX Product Box
A picture tells more than a thousand words. Actually seeing, feeling and tasting recent innovation tells more than even a thousand pictures. On a regular basis, CREAX collects innovations and places these in a product box. The goal of visualizing innovations and innovative products is to stimulate the creative mindset of the company and its employees. By visualizing these cross sector products, employees can actually experience innovation. Each example has a printed label with an explanation of the property and trends following the CREAX methodology.

These product boxes are available at an introductory price of €495*. If required, a product box can be delivered to your company every month. For more information or to order a product box, send us an email.

This months product box contains the following innovative examples:

1. Crayola Colour wonder pens only work on special paper
2. Spices in sheets for seasoning
3. Miniature R/C helicopter
4. Liquor bottle with a thermal insulation coat
5. Liquid snow chain
6. Spray on silk stockings
7. Swim wear inspired by shark skin
8. Party drink in a metal tube
9. Shot glass with 2 different liqueurs
10. Medicine dispenser inside a pacifier
    

(Shipping and tax not included in the price. The actual examples may change due to availability. )

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