Innovation56K

Eelectrun™ is a cutting-edge brand of concept shoes designed with safety in mind. Inspired by electric eels, these shoes are perfect for walkers, joggers, and runners who want to protect themselves from accidents. They generate light by converting the mechanical energy produced during your run, making you more visible to others on the road.  Additionally, the unique design of the shoes acts as an identification for the wearer, ensuring that you stand out in a crowd. The following design concepts for Eelectrun™ shoes were generated using text-to-image models. One of the key features of the Eelectrun™ shoes is their ability to interact with the road to provide further visibility. Whether you're out for a walk in the dark or jogging in low light conditions, these shoes will keep you safe and visible. They are also designed to be comfortable and lightweight, making them perfect for all types of activities.  Pedestrian safety is a critical concern in many countries, with more than 7,000

Here we describe how we "teach" ChatGPT to use the elimination heuristic along with random prompts to generate divergent ideas. Our prompts are in blue and are italicized, and the response of ChatGPT is in green. Product: Sofa First, ask me for a target product. You will play the role of an ideator for the target product. Then you will identify and list at least 10 components of the target product. You will randomly select one of the 10 components of the target. You will generate five ideas that involve eliminating or removing the selected component. You will then select one of the five ideas and describe it in detail with a catchy name for the idea. You will then select a radom prompt which could be a product, business or living organism. You will then incorporate the random prompt into the idea to generate an innovative product concept or business idea. Sure, please provide the target product. Sofa Great! Here are the ten components of the target product: Frame, Cushions, A

By Kai Wang  | Founder, Idea Early With so much scientific and technological progress nowadays, it seems strange to consider whether innovation is slowing down in general. Yet, this question is indeed worth asking. For example, some believe that there have been no major breakthroughs in the foundations of physics for decades, unlike in the early 20th century.  A paper published in Nature, the academic journal, on Jan 4, 2023 takes another look at the issue . The title " Papers and patents are becoming less disruptive over time " sounds alarming and immediately attracts a lot of attention, far beyond the circle of nerdy scientists. People are pondering why science and technology, across diverse disciplines, become more incremental on average. Soon, a lot of blames are going around and criticisms from all angles arrive. Here, let us have a quick look at what the article actually says, against some common blames inspired by it. What does it mean by disruptive? Papers and paten

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we describe how we used text-to-image generation techniques to create Phantafly™ brand cake designs concepts inspired by the visual aesthetics of the Elephant and the Butterfly. This post is part of a series of articles on the use of  generative AI for bioinspired product ideation . The use of AI for product concept generation allows for the quick creation of many potentially novel designs, which could then be evaluated and refined to select the most promising concepts to move to the next stage of the product development process. To learn how leading Fortune Global 500 companies such as ABB, Bosch, Google, Samsung, and NetApp have used Innomantra's Functional Innovation Methodology to turbocharge their idea management process, schedule a meeting today at  calendly.com/innomantra .

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we describe how we used text-to-image generation techniques to create concept bags designs for the Phantafly™ brand inspired by the visual aesthetics of the Elephant and the Butterfly. This post is part of a series of articles on the use of  generative AI for bioinspired product ideation . The use of AI for product concept generation allows for the quick creation of many potentially novel designs, which could then be evaluated and refined to select the most promising concepts to move to the next stage of the product development process. To learn how leading Fortune Global 500 companies such as ABB, Bosch, Google, Samsung, and NetApp have used Innomantra's Functional Innovation Methodology to turbocharge their idea management process, schedule a meeting today at  calendly.com/innomantra .

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we describe how we used text-to-image generation techniques to create visual designs for "Cicadian," a concept gadget inspired by the cicada. The Cicadian™ is a unique, standalone concept alarm clock that can be affixed to the wall. It is a smart product that utilizes the user's circadian rhythm to activate alarms, play music, and create ambient sounds. With its sleek, high-tech design and cicada shape, the Cicadian™ is a stylish and modern addition to any bedroom. Our descripton of the Cicadian™, generated the following image on Midjourney. Designed with privacy in mind, the Cicadian is not connected to the internet and instead utilizes locally-sourced information, such as light, sound, and motion, to guide its function. In its default mode, the alarm sounds like a cicada, gradually increasing in volume to wake the user. Additionally, the Cicadian serves as a night light, which can be activated with motion or touch. Next, we created promp

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we will explore how Large Language Model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT can support a systematic idea-generation process that utilizes heuristics to guide divergent thinking. Specifically, we will examine whether we can identify product or business model ideas for connected cars using the "Combination" heuristic or "Combine" thinking tool, which involves generating divergent ideas by combining, integrating, or linking two currently unrelated components. The Combine thinking tool is one of the 11 thinking tools of Innomantra's Functional Innovation Methodology. In the ideation process, we enlist the help of ChatGPT in generating ideas and text-to-image models to visualize the ideas. Our goal is to identify some exciting business ideas for connected vehicles that involve combining, associating, or connecting an internal component inside a vehicle with external entities encountered by a car during a typical journey. Our prompts are in blu

By  Tojin T. Eapen We used advanced text-to-image generation techniques to create designs for "Raytoor," a concept brand of electric scooters inspired by the Manta ray.  The goal of this project was to assess the capabilities of generative AI models in producing novel and appealing visual designs for Raytoor scooters that are both visually and functionally appealing. Our prompts yielded a vast array of designs, which effectively demonstrated the potential of utilizing text-to-image models during the initial stages of developing new products, particularly for consumer products where a distinct visual aesthetic is a crucial aspect of its appeal. Some of the concepts, such as the one below using Midjourney were highly novel designs that appeared to be limited in their commercial viability. The collage below showcases a selection of the more typical-looking Raytoor product concepts that we generated using Stable Diffusion. These designs appeared more feasible, however, it is uncl

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we will explore how Large Language Model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT can support a systematic idea-generation process that utilizes heuristics to guide divergent thinking. Specifically, we will examine how a supermarket in Columbia, Missouri can improve its business processes using the "Removal" heuristic or "Elimination" thinking tool, which involves generating divergent ideas by removing an existing element from a system. The Elimination thinking tool is one of the 11 thinking tools of Innomantra's Functional Innovation Methodology. Why is the "Removal" or "Elimination" heuristic effective for generating creative ideas? For an idea to be considered creative, it must possess two elements: novelty and value. To be considered novel, an idea must appear surprising or different from what is expected. Removing a component from a system creates a perception of novelty relative to the degree of expectation of that comp

By  Tojin T. Eapen We used advanced text-to-image generation techniques to create Phantafly™ brand toys inspired by the appearance of the Elephant and the Butterfly.  Our prompts yielded a vast array of designs, which effectively demonstrated the potential of utilizing text-to-image models during the initial stages of developing novel product concepts. We also used the same approach to develop Phantafly™ brooches. These designs could also be used as part of a variety of accessories for children such as hair clips. The Phantafly™ brand can be extended to other product categories such as furniture. This post is part of a series of articles on the use of  generative AI for bioinspired product ideation . The use of AI for product concept generation allows for the quick creation of many potentially novel designs, which could then be evaluated and refined to select the most promising concepts to move to the next stage of the product development process. To learn how leading Fortune Global 50

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this post, we will explore how Large Language Model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT can support a systematic idea-generation process that utilizes creativity heuristics to guide divergent thinking. We use ChatGPT to "teach" it to become a general purpose ideator that uses all the 11 thinking tools of Innomantra's Functional Innovation Toolkit. Our prompts are in blue and italicized, and the response of ChatGPT is in green. You will play the role of an idea generator. For every target system such as product, process or business that I tell you, you will give me an idea that involves (1) Eliminate: eliminating a component of the target system (2) Combine: combining two components of the target system (3) Segment: segmenting, dividing, or modularizing the target system or its components (4) Copy: copying, replicating or adding redundancy to the target system or its components (5) Vary: varying or modifying a feature or process of the target system or its compo

By  Tojin T. Eapen Organizations are often faced with a “problem of plenty” when they have too many ideas but are unable to effectively evaluate these ideas. A large number of ideas are sometimes garnered by organizations as outcomes of crowdsourced contests, suggestion boxes, or brainstorming sessions. A well-known illustration of this phenomenon was demonstrated in BP's crowdsourcing challenge , which generated an overwhelming 43,000 ideas . Organizers of the challenge struggled with evaluating the ideas and selecting ideas that were beneficial to the organization. Moreover, using generative AI tools in the ideation process typically results in a large number of ideas such as large numbers of product design concepts being generated automatically using to text-to-image models.  While having a large number of ideas is a mostly good problem to have, it can also present significant difficulties for organizations. Specifically, it becomes increasingly challenging to identify the top i

By  Tojin T. Eapen We employed text-to-image generation techniques to generate designs for "Andrones," robotic drones modeled after ants. Our objective was to test the capabilities of these models in creating innovative and functional designs inspired by the visual characteristics of ants. Drones are male ants that have a specific function in the colony. They are typically larger in size and have larger eyes than female worker ants. Their primary role is to mate with the queen ant in order to fertilize her eggs. Drones do not participate in foraging for food or caring for the young and do not have a sting. They are usually produced during the reproductive season and die soon after mating. We employed generative AI models to quickly create a diverse range of designs for Andrones. However, it is unclear to us how these designs are materially different from existing drone products. Some of the designs generated by the text-to-image model are shown below.  This post is part of a

By  Tojin T. Eapen In this project, we utilized state-of-the-art text-to-image generation models to develop design concepts for "Tortools", a collection of stools that take inspiration from the physical characteristics and design elements of tortoises. The goal of this project was to explore the capabilities of these models in creating unique and functional designs that blend the natural form of tortoises with modern furniture aesthetics.  Turtles have been a source of inspiration for many different types of products , from fashion and home decor to children's toys and educational materials. One of the most popular ways that turtles have been used as inspiration is in the creation of fashion and accessories.  Turtle-inspired jewelry, such as turtle necklaces and turtle earrings, are popular among people who want to show off their love for these adorable animals. Turtle-inspired clothing, such as turtle-print t-shirts, turtle-patterned leggings and turtle-inspired bags , a