Innovation
Creative solutions to the problems you didn’t know you had
Before setting off down the wrong path it’s worth spending some time thinking about the problem. Typically problems present as a series of clues. These symptoms present as something that is or is not happening. Very expensive mistakes have been made by designing and implementing solutions for symptoms. Little, if any time has been spent [...]
Adhesives – a chat with Professor Julian Vincent
I have just come from an interesting meeting with Professor Julian Vincent where we were discussing glue. Julian is a biomimetics expert and has published 300 papers on the application of biology to engineering and in particular materials problems. Adhesives play a major role in the way we live our lives today. Julian points out [...]
Why insight is essential and software can’t provide it
Essential: vitally important, fundamental Insight: penetrating and often sudden understanding, as of a complex situation or problem I once asked the inventor of a clever search engine to build a business analysis engine – a software machine into which we might pour gigabytes of business data and then ask a series of broad questions. It [...]
Inspiration to solve the problem of counterfeit goods
A recent workshop on Biomimetics in Bath found inspiration from a visit to the Botanical Gardens in Royal Victoria Park. Working on the problem of how to overcome the problem of counterfeit and fake goods a number of plants and animals were examined. Ideas for tracking, marking, packaging and training came from the close observation [...]
Innovation as a strategic target
Many businesses have ‘innovation’ as a strategic target or goal. However many are uncertain as to what this means or more importantly how they go about achieving innovation. what it means for the business and how to know when innovation has happened. Thoughtcrew uses Biomimetics as the source of inspiration for innovation. We help identify [...]
Bird flocks and crab growth provide insight to internal communications
We are currently working with a major drink manufacturer to help improve the quality of the communications between their innovation group and the rest of the business. Like many internal organisations the gaps between departments are often left whilst all energies are focused on the delivery of departmental objectives. Biomimetics provided a fresh approach to this cross functional challenge and [...]
