Information systems innovation

Posts Tagged ‘Innovation’

The Chinese organization Shenzhen Huashi Future Car-Parking Equipment has developed an idea that could pave the way for the future of public transportation. Since traffic and road congestion are developing into big problems in both China and the United States, this innovation will definitely be a sustaining up-market innovation. Essentially, the idea is to have these new buses/trolleys travel via rails on the divisions between lanes, somewhat similar to the trolley system here in Philadelphia. However, the seating areas will be above the road and above the cars, eliminating traffic caused by public transportation. Cars will still be able to drive underneath this new mode of transportation without a problem, as long as they practice safe driving and stay in their lanes. This innovation targets the already existing market of consumers who use public transportation, and probably applies most to undershot customers. They are the ones who want faster public transportation, less traffic, and will be willing to pay higher costs for guaranteed arrival and departure times. As an added benefit, public transportation companies will not lose money, since they will still be able to operate during the new mode of transportation’s construction time period. As long as the Chinese company can find the proper funding and companies to back their idea, we could see a new wave of public transportation that will free up the roads in the very near future.

Innovative Thoughts?

I definitely believe this is a new-market disruptive innovation. This idea may lower or even eliminate the age for having a driver’s license. Through the perfection of this innovation, anybody will be able to get into a car and program the destination and sit back and enjoy the ride. Imagine not having to worry about designated drivers, dropping anybody off,  picking anybody up, or even getting up to run errands. I foresee the future of this innovation as an evolution in the transportation system as well as a huge change in retail industry. Imagine ordering food or products from a local company and all you have to do is program your car to go to the company and come back with the materials you ordered. Obviously, the industry would have to change to suit the new automated cars. Eventually stores would be required to create a drive-thru system which would allow the consumer to send over their car and get the correct supplies placed into the correct car and then sent back to the consumer. This all will come in time though, but the major change of this innovation would hit the non-consumer market.

Non-consumers who for some reason cannot drive a car will now be able to enjoy the pleasures of driving an automobile without having to actually drive. With this new technology, anybody will be able to get behind the wheel of a car and take to the road without having to worry about accidents, wasting gas, and traffic. If this idea ever takes off, I believe it will impact the way many people live, commute, and work.

This post refers to an article I read on PCMAG.com(http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370439,00.asp) about the Vlingo mobile application that we can download onto smart phones. Overall Vlingo provides an application that allows you to navigate various phone functions through voice command. Vlingo also provides a talk/text application allowing the user to dictate your responses to text messages  instead of having you text while driving.

Google, Yahoo and many other search engines usually refer you to random websites when doing an online search or entering a question. Another highlight of the Vlingo app is the ability to ask the application questions and have it find real answers. The purpose of the technology is to keep the cell phone user focused on driving instead of texting or doing mobile searches. I believe this is a New Market disruption aimed at Undershot consumers because of the convenience and relative inexpensiveness of the app. Most of the features I discussed above are available for free.

Charged just by being in the room

Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla, who went on to father many of the inventions that define the modern electronic era, was the first to let electrons off their leash, in 1890.

Tesla based his wireless electricity idea on a concept known as electromagnetic induction,holds that electric current flowing through one wire can induce current to flow in another wire, nearby. The product of the 21^st century is an inductive device, much like the one Tesla envisioned, but a lot smaller. It looks like a mouse pad and can send power through the air, over a distance a few inches.

Michigan-based Fulton Innovation unveiled its first set of wirelessly charged consumer products at the Consumer Electronics Show early this year.

Their product can be viewed here: http://www.powermat.com/

In March the Nintendo 3DS will be released in the US. This handheld gaming system, which will start at approximately $300, is the first of its kind. It enables users to play handheld games in 3D without special glasses. Updates to classic Nintendo games will be made available to consumers.

The Nintendo 3DS is the most innovative gaming technology since the Nintendo Wii, and is the first 3D handheld gaming system. It targets consumers who are currently undershot by the next best available handheld gaming system because it offers a completely new experience. It is just as convenient as all other handheld gaming systems and because consumers will not have to use special glasses, like with 3D TV’s and 3D movies, they can still play games on the go without getting strange looks from their peers. The Gameboy Color was enough for me personally, but I think consumers will take highly to it, especially once the price comes down a bit.

Sir Richard Branson is at it again! He has already tackled air and space travel, but this time he is off to conquer another frontier…the SEA.

This machine can hold 2 passengers and a pilot and maneuvers as if you were flying through the water. It is the first of its kind to hit the market earlier this year. So the obvious question would be- Is this the perfect example of innovation? With submarines, yachts, jet skis, and speed boats already in the market, how much of an impact would this new machine make?

To rent this beauty out it would take a nice little chunk of change out of your pocket (about $25,000/week to be exact). So would people even bother trying this new craft out? Or is this the beginning of a new wave of underwater exploration devices?

I personally believe that like most other luxury vehicles, this may become huge in the market and we will start to see low-end innovation versions of the product. Maybe a one-seater underwater plane that people could purchase at a lower price or maybe this can become an attraction at amusement parks or aquariums. Either way I say that this is definitely innovative and I believe that Richard Branson along with the engineering company (Hawkes Ocean Technologies) are introducing a new, modern, innovative way to get the “common” people involved in underwater exploration.

Check out the article…click here

Clay Christensen’s “theory of innovation” sounds very simple but it is hard to apply in practice. We will start today with getting a feel for the basic elements of the theory of innovation. Check out the attached slides: ChristensenIntro. What do you think? Is this stuff super obvious and perhaps useless?

To set the stage for the course, we will first discuss Innovation in the context of one of the other great opportunities in information technology – integration.