Resources are anything. Japanese solution to pirates

April 25, 2012 · Posted in innovation, problem solving · Comment 

This Japanese solution for stopping pirates from boarding ships is an excellent example of using readily available resources to innovate.

Pirates make money by capturing people or property then either hold it for ransom or attempt to sell it. Either way they need to get on board the ship to achieve their goal. Sinking the ship or killing the passengers isn’t profitable so pirates avoid that.

Water is definitely a readily available resource to a ship. Ships also have pumps used for fighting fires, cleaning the decks, and removing unwanted water.

The Anti-Piracy Water Curtain uses what already exists on a ship including what the crew knows how to do. It also doesn’t require many people operate so existing crew can turn on the water curtain and still do their normal job.

Resources are 1 of the 7 Elements of an Outcome. Combining the 7 Elements with 15 Alternatives reveals 105 types of innovation for any Outcome. Learn the entire Predictive Innovation method.

Cheap Natural Gas Transportation Idea

March 31, 2012 · Posted in innovation · Comment 

Poor people in China transport natural gas in large plastic bags. If this could be made safe it’s a very low cost alternative to expensive pipelines. Natural gas could be quickly and cheaply distributed to places without infrastructure.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2108346/Chinese-villagers-carry-giant-balloons-stolen-natural-gas-heat-homes.html

Running underground pipes is a large investment. The small amount of natural gas these people would use doesn’t make that investment worth while.

The danger is if the gas is ignited. Three things are required to cause this danger, enough oxygen for ignition, natural gas mixed with oxygen, spark or flame.

A very simple solution is to put the natural gas bag inside another bag filled with carbon-dioxide. This would prevent ignition. CO2 could also be used to prevent an explosion while filling the bag with natural gas. First fill the bag with CO2 then use the natural gas to force out the CO2 into another empty bag of the same size. When the second bag is full you know the first bag is filled with natural gas. The process could then be repeated with the second bag.

Compact Fluorescent Bulb Recycling

January 3, 2009 · Posted in innovation, problem solving · Comment 

I volunteer at AllExperts.com. One of the questions I received makes an interesting example. This is not a complete OutCompete analysis, just a very fast list of suggestions.

Question:

Retailers have implemented programs for the safe disposal of compact fluorescent bulbs. However the current process requires the involvement of an store employee. I would like to design a system which does not require the involvement of an employee. My assumption right now is:

  1. The system is for compact fluorescent lamps, medium base type bulbs.
  2. The system that can accommodate at least 200 CFL’s before needing to be emptied.
  3. The system would reward the customer for their effort.

I would like your advice on this system, on how to design it and what reward I should consider. Could you also suggest a website which will provide me information for my design system.

Thank you.

Answer

The OutCompete Predictive Innovation Method works best if we can work with a subject matter expert to verify the technical aspects of ideas.

The Predictive Innovation Method follows these steps:

  1. Create “Desire Statement”
  2. Convert Desire Statement into on Outcome diagram
  3. Expand each of the Outcomes into their 7 elements types
  4. Using the Alternatives Grid to multiply those 7 types by the 15 alternatives to reveal a minimum of 105 potential innovations.

Since I am not exactly a subject matter expert on recycling mercury I’ll focus on one aspect that I was able to find information about.

The main problem with the mercury in a CFL is breathing in vapor or dust from broken bulbs. As long as they are not broken there isn’t any problem.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Video of mercury evaporating

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2945_5105_47868-181553–,00.html

So the primary goal of collecting CFLs is making the mercury vapor safe to people. Here are a few approaches.

  • Prevent the vapor from being released.
  • Don’t break the bulbs
  • Contain the vapor if broken
  • Keep vapor away from people
  • Make the vapor safe

Two ideas come to mind. Have a single container to hold many bulbs air tight

  • pull air in and vent safely outside
  • pull air in through and filter air inside container
  • submerge the bulbs in a liquid that mercury vapor is heavier than so it collects on the bottom and is safely contained
  • Contain each bulb, put each bulb in an airtight bag so it doesn’t matter if the bulb breaks. This material would have to be easy to recycle with the rest of the bulb

This company has a filter for the vapor, but you could probably be OK just venting it outside.

http://www.ohiolumex.com/product/vapor_filter.shtml

The basic problem with getting people to recycle is making the effort more valuable than throwing the item away in the regular garbage. You can do this by appealing to their emotions or by actually making it easier. You will likely need to do both.

Since CFL are suppose to last a long time the purchase is long removed from the disposal. However people usually replace a bulb the instant one stops working. If they have bulbs on hand it is probably in some type of safe container to prevent it from being broken. If this could serve as a safe recycling container it would be effective.

Alternatively the person will need to go to the store to get a new bulb. This is when to prompt for recycling the old bulb.

  • give the consumers something for bringing bulbs in, such as a discount on new bulbs
  • eliminate another problem by bringing the bulbs in
  • provide a container to store the bulbs until returned
  • have a deposit similar to the $0.10 bottle deposit in Michigan (this practically eliminated that type of pollution)

Summary

With this information it would be easy to find and affordable solution to the problem. You’ll also notice that there are several possibilities for future innovation or product improvements. For instance combining the ideas :

  • provide a container to store the bulbs until returned
  • Contain each bulb, put each bulb in an airtight bag so it doesn’t matter if the bulb breaks. This material would have to be easy to recycle with the rest of the bulb

These two outcomes can be achieved at the same time.

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