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Ideation International Celebrates 43rd
I-TRIZ Specialist Certification -- The High Ranking Honor Goes To Karel
Bolckmans
Ideation International Inc. is celebrating a major milestone -- the 43rd
I-TRIZ Specialist to receive certification.
After eight months of intense study and work on tough projects, Karel
Bolckmans (39) graduated as an I-TRIZ Specialist. He is a bio engineer
and Production and Research & Development Manager for Koppert B.V. in
the Netherlands.
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Boris Zlotin presents
I-TRIZ
Certificate to Karel Bolckmans
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His new title as I-TRIZ Specialist is the highest ranking certification
provided in the I-TRIZ world.
Under the guidance of I-TRIZ leaders and TRIZ Masters Boris Zlotin and
Alla Zusman, Karel’s studies included applications, processes and
TRIZSoft® tools for Inventive Problem Solving (IPS), Anticipatory
Failure Determination® (AFD), Directed Evolution® (DE) and Disclosure
Inspection, Patent Analysis and Patent Deconstruction.
Karel’s training incorporated the most recent developments and advances
in I-TRIZ methodology. Bolckmans follows in the footsteps of recent
I-TRIZ graduates Dr. Rick Soto, SC Johnson and Charles Buchanan, a
28-year veteran of Valeo Inc.
Rick manages quality and reliability processes for his company. Buchanan
holds more than 60 US patents.
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(l to r) Alla Zusman,
Karel Bolckmans, Boris Zlotin |
Karel Bolckmans
with Ideation Leaders |
Bolckmans holds a master’s of science degree
from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at the Catholic University
Leuven in Belgium. He is currently working on his Ph.D. with professor
J.C. van Lenteren at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Being interested in creativity and innovation from an early age, Karel
trained in 2004 as a professional creativity facilitator at the Centre
for Development of Creative Thinking in Belgium. Searching for even more
powerful methods he studied Classical TRIZ on his own for more than two
years. Last summer he fell in love with Ideation’s I-TRIZ and was
inspired to begin working on becoming an I-TRIZ Specialist.
With that goal accomplished Karel has other big plans. He wants to write
a book called "My Journey To Become an I-TRIZ Specialist." He is working
closely with Boris Zlotin on several inventions which will revolutionize
Integrated Pest Management. He plans to train engineers and biologists
at Koppert and institutionalize I-TRIZ as part of the company’s
infrastructure. Karel will also assist Hein Vastenouw, Ideation
Netherlands
by supporting Hein’s work with businesses in Europe interested in
implementing I-TRIZ."Karel is a
very unique and special individual," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation.
"He’s extremely knowledgeable, a self-starter and has great passion for
creativity, innovation and invention. His brightness and the many
innovations he will no doubt develop in the future will light up the
I-TRIZ community. It is an honor to work with someone so creative."
Boris Zlotin agrees. "Karel is a person who has always been very
interested in creativity," he said. "I-TRIZ is science about evolution
–similar to biology. In fact, our studies in biological evolution have
greatly contributed to the development of the theory of technological
evolution. Karel has a biological and technical education and may be the
first real Western scientist who can work at this level in modern TRIZ."
Bolckmans is currently working with Ideation to conduct an Inventive
Problem Solving (IPS) training session in Holland March 27 – 29. He is
also working with Boris Zlotin on a curriculum for training to be held
at the European TRIZ Association (ETRIA) meeting in Belgium, in October.
"My ongoing search for the ultimate problem-solving and innovation tools
led me to Ideation where I discovered that I-TRIZ is the next, more
powerful generation -- even over Classical TRIZ," Karel said. "I found
that I-TRIZ helps you look in directions where traditional techniques
would never take you – it helps you cover the entire scope of potential
innovations. I-TRIZ is so powerful that it should become part of any
education curriculum and the main component of a company’s toolbox for
those businesses that are serious about innovation."
New
Software Tools Help Businesses Solve Technological Problems
Southfield, MI – December 8, 2005 – Ideation International Inc.
has introduced two new versions of software tools designed to help
businesses solve technological challenges. Brainstorming 2.3 provides
entry-level assistance to lightweight problem solving capabilities.
Innovation WorkBench® 2005 is a professional tool that delivers advanced
problem solving for complex challenges and red-alert emergencies. Both
products offer a seven-day free trial.
These software products are part of a unique operating system for
innovation called Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ). The acronym stands for the
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and offers businesses and
manufacturers a new approach to innovation and invention – key
ingredients to maintaining a competitive edge.
Ideation’s operating system for innovation is built on four core
competencies: Inventive Problem Solving (IPS), Anticipatory Failure
Determination® (AFD), Directed Evolution® (DE) and Control of
Intellectual Property (CIP). Science-based, I-TRIZ is the result of
almost 60 years of rigorous research and analysis of more than 3 million
worldwide patents as well as the history of technological and social
evolution, from which nearly more than 400 patterns of invention and
more than 450 lines of technological, market and organizational
evolution have been extracted. For manufacturers this means a nearly
unlimited set of possible solution ideas to difficult problems.
Ideation, established in the U.S. in 1992, converted TRIZ (a
problem-solving technique originated by Russian inventor Genrich
Altshuller in 1946) into I-TRIZ under lead scientist Boriz Zlotin. The
original methodology was adapted and advanced to fit Western business
environments for business and engineering application support. The first
to create I-TRIZ software support tools, Ideation has now launched new
software versions based on 14 years of problem-solving experience with
US companies.
Ideation Brainstorming 2.3 has been developed to help users perform
lightweight problem solving. The product is also equipped with an
introduction to I-TRIZ to provide users with a taste of the
methodology’s basic principles for inventive problem solving while
providing the knowledge and skills to brainstorm ideas. The software is
structured in an easy-to-use four-step process.
Ideation understands that defining the system a business wants to
improve or create is a critical first step. Brainstorming 2.3 helps the
user outline the system, the system’s primary function, the supersystems
it belongs to, detail inputs and outputs, and describe causes and
critical conditions of the problem and potential consequences if the
situation does not improve. These steps allow the user to develop a true
understanding of the problem and form an Ideal Vision of the solution.
Brainstorming 2.3 is equipped with 120 Inventive Principles or
"operators" (patterns of invention) representing best inventive
practices that also allow the user to generate a list of ideas on how to
resolve contradictions or in simpler terms - find a way to counteract
any harmful functions that may result while improving useful functions –
and move to realization of the solution’s Ideal Vision. The software’s
operators use case studies and illustrations to demonstrate how each
section works. Subsequent steps lead the user to concept development and
evaluation of results.
A
professional tool, Innovation WorkBench® 2005 (IWB) software provides
powerful problem-solving features packaged in a user friendly format and
is compatible with Ideation’s Brainstorming 2.3. The software features a
Problem Formulator® that has been significantly improved as an
analytical knowledge-transfer tool which helps identify and bring into
sharp focus the interplay of cause and effect between useful and harmful
functions in any system, business or engineering application. Besides
access to over 400 Inventive Principles or "operators" representing best
inventive practices, the new IWB software gives users a number of
critical advantages.
IWB allows the user to track projects instantly despite long
interruptions to the process and quickly identify where to resume
working. Comprehensive reports can be generated in word format to
facilitate collaboration between IWB and non-IWB users.
Ideation also offers new services that allow its scientists to adapt IWB
software to fit specific company culture requirements. In addition,
Ideation provides three-day training and coaching with a pilot project
for users who want to become certified TRIZ specialists.
New Partnership Provides Integrated
Innovation Solutions
Southfield, Michigan, USA / AMERSFOORT & HAARLEM, The Netherlands –
November 15, 2005 – Ideation International Inc. and
Twynstra The Bridge
announced today that they have formed a close collaboration to provide
an operating system for innovation that will help businesses invent on
demand and solve critical challenges. Called I-TRIZ, the unique
knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology, its support
software products and services will be distributed by
Ideation Netherlands and
Twynstra The Bridge to the European market.
Ideation and Twynstra The Bridge work on either side of the innovation
coin. Ideation's scientists provide content oriented products and
support. Twynstra The Bridge's professionals focus on innovation
implementation and process oriented services. The combination of
science-based inventive problem solving and business experience driven
implementation skills, will provide businesses with new integrated
innovation solutions.
Hein Vastenouw, who will lead Ideation Netherlands, says he first became
aware of Ideation and its I-TRIZ products in 1999 when he began looking
for a more robust problem-solving alternative. "I met with Ideation and
became convinced their operating system for innovation was the answer I
was looking for. I-TRIZ is based on a thorough scientific foundation and
its scientists are continuously working to further advance and develop
the methodology. This collaboration is the result of a six-year
relationship that now makes it possible for us to bring these important
services to businesses in Europe."
"Twynstra
The Bridge, based in The Netherlands, assists when 'more of the same' is
no longer enough," said Jeroen de Kempenaer, Senior for The Bridge. "Our
innovation professionals help to realize successful new activities, and
revitalize businesses and entrepreneurial organizations.
Our team, based in The Netherlands, and its partners in Japan and the
U.S. put decades of hands-on innovation experience at the disposal of
customers. Twynstra the Bridge is an expert in situations where
(technical) specialists and marketers have to collaborate closely to
come to joint understanding and results. This means closing the gap
between different cultures, characters and varying expectations of
market opportunities and business competences."
Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation which is headquartered in the U.S., also
has ties to the Netherlands. Prior to founding Ideation, Bar-El owned
and managed a Holland-based business called Micro Project. "Because of
my experience as a long-term business professional in Holland, I
understand the unique needs of customers in Europe," he said. "I'm
extremely pleased to return to Holland as part of this collaboration.
The high caliber expertise of Twynstra The Bridge and the newly formed
Ideation Netherlands creates just the right platform for launching our
introduction of I-TRIZ products and services to Europe."
Ideation specializes in providing companies and academic organizations
the ability to unlock the power of creativity, harness the advantages of
innovation and achieve a new competitive edge. Its staff of top
scientists developed I-TRIZ, an improved and expanded form of the Theory
of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). For businesses, I-TRIZ means the
ability to invent on demand, direct the process of innovation step by
step and identify next generation breakthrough products. I-TRIZ is the
result of more than 60 years of rigorous research and analysis of
millions of worldwide patents. To help companies and other organizations
tap the wealth of this knowledge-based inventive problem-solving
methodology, Ideation has developed a suite of I-TRIZ software products
(TRIZSoft®) and authored a number of books. Ideation also offers
consulting services and accelerated education programs.
For more information about Ideation Netherlands visit
www.ideationtriz.nl; for more
information about Twynstra The Bridge visit
www.twynstrathebridge.nl.
Kent State's School of Technology teams with
Ideation to bring innovation to Ohio businesses
Southfield, MI – October 11, 2005 – Kent State University's
School of Technology is teaming with Ideation International Inc., to
create an infrastructure for innovation that will equip Ohio businesses
to invent on demand, incorporate value ads, solve critical challenges,
get ideas to market, and leap frog the competition. The School of
Technology expects to implement Ideation's methodology for innovation in
three phases.
"The first step will include a graduate course that would integrate
Ideation's unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology
(I-TRIZ) and its support software," said Dr. Don Coates, Assistant
Professor for the School of Technology. Dr. Coates, who currently
teaches an interdisciplinary course called Management of Technology
Innovation, was instrumental in introducing the Ideation methodology to
Kent State. "With 40 years experience in industry, I wanted to improve
the way innovation is adopted and used because I believe innovation is
the key to building companies and jobs," he said.
The introduction led to a
three-day
training workshop in I-TRIZ held recently at Kent State. Coordinated
by Tom Southards, Director of the Manufacturing and Technology Small
Business Center (MTSBDC), the workshop combined hands-on problem solving
with Ideation's unique methodology and software support. The workshop
was attended by School of Technology associate professor Dr. Verna
Fitzsimmons, Dr. Coates, Dr. Michael Fisch, Director of NEO Beam, (a
joint venture in electron-beam technology between Kent State and local
manufacturer Mercury Plastics); Dr. Gary Wnek, the Joseph F. Toot Jr.,
Professor of Engineering and Co-Director of The Institute for Management
and Engineering (TiME) (a joint effort between the Case School of
Engineering and the Weatherhead School of Management); three graduate
students and representatives from local and international businesses.
One area business that participated, NC Consulting, Inc. based in
Alliance, Ohio, sees I-TRIZ as a key advantage for Ohio businesses.
"This practically guarantees finding solutions to otherwise unsolved
problems," said Brooks Weingart, President and founder of N.C.
Consulting. "This is a major breakthrough."
"The School of Technology has grown over the last decade from a small
department to a large entity serving 2500 students and a significant
number of business agencies which make up the majority of our
manufacturing and high tech economy," said Dr. Raj Chowdhury, Dean
School Technology at Kent State. "Our focus is applied science,
aeronautics and applied technology. With innovation being the key to the
future for companies, it makes sense to integrate Ideation's I-TRIZ as
part of our learning environment to help students and clients really
navigate true problem solving."
The School of Technology and Ideation are planning a series of
additional training workshops over the next year. The workshops are open
to students, faculty and Ohio businesses. For more information contact
Tom Southards, Director, Ohio's MTSBDC at Kent State at 330-672-2892 or
by email at wsouthar@kent.edu.
Ideation announces
launch of Innovation WorkBench® 2005
Southfield, MI – July 26, 2005 – Ideation International Inc., the
world's leader in innovation methods and supporting software tools,
announced today it will launch a new software product called Innovation
WorkBench® 2005 (IWB) on August 15, 2005. With IWB® 2005's user-friendly
format, industries and academic organizations alike will be able to
access Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ), a unique knowledge-based inventive
problem-solving methodology. Among other benefits, I-TRIZ gives
companies the ability to overcome technological roadblocks, invent on
demand and identify next generation breakthrough products.
Faster yet easier to use than its predecessor, IWB 2005 will incorporate
I-TRIZ's strongest problem-solving features yet provides users with some
exciting enhancements. The software's Problem Formulator® has been
significantly improved as a knowledge-transfer tool. Its new flexibility
allows for self-explanatory diagrams that are easily understood by other
IWB users and individuals not yet familiar with I-TRIZ. In addition to
the ability to manipulate the appearance of Problem Formulator diagrams
through expanded graphic options, users will be able to name links to
show cause-effect relationships between system or process functions.
Off-site users will also have the ability to access and work with the
Problem Formulator.
Customers can build critical support documentation for each phase of a
project in a format that is easier to understand with IWB 2005's
improved Project Report feature. With the flexibility to support a
variety of operating modes, IWB's interface provides superior
functionality. As a result, users can track their projects instantly
despite long interruptions to the process and quickly identify where to
resume working. Reports are more comprehensive and more easily
understood by both non-IWB users and those unfamiliar with I-TRIZ.
IWB's operating modes can be customized to fit company culture,
individual projects and system requirements. Team problem-solving is
also facilitated with a brainstorming module and a user interface
compatible with entry-level Ideation tools.
Training is being made available to those who purchase IWB 2005.
Structured as a project-based workshop, the training gives participants
hands-on experience and allows them to complete the total Ideation
Process for a selected problem. In addition, an I-TRIZ specialist will
provide post-workshop coaching. Individuals who successfully complete
the training project will be certified as Inventive Problem Solving (IPS)
Practitioners.
Ideation
announces unique service for university IP departments at AUTM Central
Regional Meeting
Southfield, MI – July 17, 2005 – During the
Association of University
Technology Managers (AUTM) Central Regional Meeting which featured
the theme Technology Transfer: The Engine of Innovation, Ideation
International Inc., introduced a new service for university Intellectual
Property (IP) departments. Based on Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ), the
innovation leader's unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving
methodology, the service gives university personnel the critical
information they need to assess and evaluate new invention disclosures
and effectively manage their IP portfolios.
"When it comes to invention disclosures and future licensing
profitability, everyone's looking for "home-runs," said Dr. Michael
Sharer, Director of Technology Transfer & Commercialization at Western
Michigan University. "But most IP departments are operating under budget
and time constraints. This unique service helps universities capitalize
on their most promising inventions, quickly weed out the
not-so-promising ones and significantly raises the probability of
identifying that "home-run."
Universities who want to use the service simply download their invention
disclosure electronically to Ideation. In just 48 hours, a report is
generated that rates a new invention's potential using three essential
criteria – invention related factors (IF), system evolution factors (SEF),
and market related factors (MF). In addition to determining if a
disclosure is worthy of a patent application, customers are given
information to help determine what type of patent to file, how long to
invest, potential risks and other important elements of the IP
management process. The service also helps customers improve their
inventions by identifying potential problem areas early on.
Sharer, who has used the Ideation service, said Ideation helped him make
the right decision on whether or not to apply for a patent before making
a considerable investment of time and money. "The service also helped me
gain a better understanding of how to manage the piece of intellectual
property I had and increased my confidence that the decisions I made
were sound and based on objective data," he said.
"The primary goal for university IP departments is the pursuit of new
knowledge," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "This knowledge is
usually summarized in journals but patents are also a practical
by-product. What most universities lack is the in-depth marketplace
insight required to make an invention disclosure profitable. Ideation is
able to help universities connect their unique discoveries to valid
markets for a commercial return."
Universities can take advantage of the new service for a cost effective
fee of $800 per invention disclosure. To find out more about this
service or to purchase it contact Ideation at 248-737-8854, toll-free
1-888-399-0887 or email Zion Bar-El at
zbarel@ideationtriz.com.
Ideation unveils Disclosure
Creation and Improvement software module for Intellectual Property
Management
Southfield, MI – July 17, 2005 – Ideation International Inc., has
introduced a new software module called Disclosure Creation and
Improvement as part of its product lineup for Intellectual Property
Management (IPM). Based on Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ), the innovation
leader's unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology,
the new software module helps a broad range of customers protect and
increase the value of their intellectual property and significantly
raises the probability of identifying those inventions with the greatest
potential for commercial profit.
Ideation developed the Disclosure Creation and Improvement software
module to process new invention disclosures. The module works with each
aspect of the disclosure to help the customer strengthen the proposal
and increase its effectiveness by clearly detailing its profitability.
"This software module helps the customer create a win-win situation,"
said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation, "by satisfying the needs of the
inventor as well as meeting the parameters of organizations who will be
involved in processing the patent application. More importantly, the
software adds value to disclosures or patent applications by helping
customers protect themselves against patent circumvention. With the
software, customers can find out if it's possible to invent around their
suggested invention and solve the problem prior to filing. The end
result is a patent application that is relatively iron clad."
To find out more about this software product or to purchase it contact
Ideation at 248-737-8854, toll-free 1-888-399-0887 or email Zion Bar-El
at zbarel@ideationtriz.com.
Ideation introduces Invention
Evaluation software module for Intellectual Property Management
Southfield, MI – July 17, 2005 – Ideation International Inc., has
introduced a new software module called Invention Evaluation as part of
its product lineup for Intellectual Property Management (IPM). Based on
Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ), the innovation leader's unique knowledge-based
inventive problem-solving methodology, the new software module helps a
broad range of customers protect and increase the value of their
intellectual property and significantly raises the probability of
identifying those inventions with the greatest potential for commercial
profit.
Ideation developed the Invention Evaluation module to help customers
assess the potential of their inventions and add more value. In addition
to providing the flexibility to analyze inventions at the disclosure,
patent application or patent stage, the software evaluates inventions
for commercial potential and degree of difficulty. Customers are also
able to determine if an invention is worthy of a patent application. And
because the software reveals possible problem areas, customers can
strengthen their invention prior to filing.
"Customers can actually use the software to assess any patent," said
Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "If an organization is interested in
purchasing a patent, the software can be used to test its value prior to
making the investment. The software can also be used to demonstrate a
patent's value if an organization is interested in licensing or selling
the technology."
To find out more about this software product or to purchase it contact
Ideation at 248-737-8854, toll-free 1-888-399-0887 or email Zion Bar-El
at zbarel@ideationtriz.com.
Ideation launches Invention
Value Enhancement software module for Intellectual Property Management
Southfield, MI – July 17, 2005 – Ideation International Inc., has
introduced a new software module called Invention Value Enhancement as
part of its product lineup for Intellectual Property Management (IPM).
Based on Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ), the innovation leader's unique
knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology, the new software
module helps a broad range of customers protect and increase the value
of their intellectual property and significantly raises the probability
of identifying those inventions with the greatest potential for
commercial profit.
Ideation developed the Invention Value Enhancement module to help
customers with sound inventions predict with a high degree of certainty
what their next generation products should be. This software module also
allows customers to create a step-by-step blueprint to identify and
build future inventions.
"With this software module, customers can literally leapfrog over the
patents of competitors to create and commercialize technical solutions
for the future," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "That capability
gives companies a critical tool to sustain continued growth."
To find out more about this software product or to purchase it contact
Ideation at 248-737-8854, toll-free 1-888-399-0887 or email Zion Bar-El
at zbarel@ideationtriz.com.
Ideation announces collaboration
agreement with Pretium Consulting Services LLC
Southfield, MI – June 14, 2005 – Ideation International Inc. announced
today that it has formed a close collaboration with
Pretium Consulting Services, LLC. The
agreement allows Pretium, based in Houston, Texas with offices in
Michigan, to distribute Ideation products and services around the globe.
Ideation specializes in providing companies and academic organizations
with a powerful and unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving
methodology called Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ). Pretium specializes in the
development and application of TRIZ technology for the creation of
sustainable economic value through structured innovation. Pretium
consultants combine their wealth of hands-on experience and knowledge as
past business executives and advisors with state-of-the-art problem-
solving techniques, coaching and implementation skills. In addition to
distributing Ideation products and services, the collaboration agreement
allows Pretium to customize Ideation software to meet customers' special
needs.
"The collaboration between Ideation and Pretium is a natural fit," said
Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "Our companies share similar visions and
missions to help customers build wealth and become technological leaders
in their markets. Working with senior seasoned executives that have
real-world business experience such as Pete Hanik and Dr. David Bonner
adds a key component to our company that could help Ideation achieve
enormous growth."
To contact Pretium about Ideation products and services email
phanik@pretiumllc.com or call
281-291-9085.
Ideation acquires IP Business International
LLC
Southfield, MI – June 14, 2005 – Ideation International Inc.
announced today they have acquired IP Business International, LLC (IPBI).
The two companies, based in Southfield, Michigan, had been holding talks
since May and today reached an agreement that allowed the acquisition to
be finalized (the terms and conditions have not been disclosed).
Ideation, a world leader in inventive problem solving, and IPBI, a
provider of disclosure inspection, patent analysis and patent
deconstruction services, have enjoyed a close business relationship for
the past several years. The project contributions of Ideation's staff of
top scientists created a synergy that convinced the management teams of
both companies that combining forces would bring a new level of services
and products to current and future customers.
"I'm very pleased with the acquisition," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of
Ideation, "because it represents a key step in Ideation's strategic plan
to become a major player in the intellectual property domain. Acquiring IPBI significantly enhances Ideation's assets and allows us to enter a
new market."
Business
Workout Ltd forms a strategic alliance with Ideation International Inc.
June 7, 2005 – Business
Workout Ltd (BWL) announced today the formation of a strategic
alliance with Ideation International Inc. The alliance allows BWL to
provide the energy industry with a revolutionary operating system for
innovation.
Click here to read the full news release.
Innovation
Planner™ Unlocks the Power of I-TRIZ
Southfield, MI – May 26, 2005 – Ideation International Inc. has
introduced a new product called Innovation Planner™. The 170-card set of
innovation strategies and solutions gives customers easy access to
I-TRIZ, Ideation's unique knowledge-based inventive problem-solving
methodology. With Innovation Planner, customers don't need a background
in I-TRIZ to begin creating new ideas and inventions. Yet the card set
is comprehensive for the I-TRIZ specialist.
Innovation Planner provides customers with rapid, effective, and
efficient problem solving and idea generation in countless combinations.
Its user friendly approach is especially suited for both technical
innovation and business planning. Innovation Planner allows customers to
conduct systematic innovation planning, brainstorming, or to play one of
several innovation games.
"The card system is excellent," said Kent Barley, president of TTW
Incorporated. "I feel like I own each thought as I hold the card which
is unlike looking at a remotely projected image appearing on a wall. The
cards communicate clear and organized information in an easy to use
manner. The instructional PowerPoint is well laid out."
Developed by the Center for Advantage, Innovation Planner is produced by
Ideation and sells for $50. Individuals interested in purchasing the
Innovation Planner can call 888-399-0887 or 248-737-8854.
Ideation International and the Engineers Club of Dayton Unveil New
Company
Southfield, MI – May 17, 2005 – Ideation International Inc., and
the Engineers Club of Dayton
unveiled a new company today called Innovation Ohio Systems, LLC (IOS).
Located in the Engineers Club in Dayton, Ohio, IOS will help Ohio's
schools K-12 grow a new generation of creative thinkers with a unique
knowledge-based inventive problem-solving methodology called
Ideation-TRIZ (I-TRIZ).
I-TRIZ is the brainchild of Ideation, a world leader in innovation
systems. Also committed to innovation, the Engineers Club was founded in
1914 by Colonel Edward A. Deeds and Charles F. Kettering to train
engineers and advance business, education and science. IOS will take the
Engineers Club's commitment to education a step further.
"Our goal through IOS is to combine I-TRIZ with the entrepreneurial
spirit," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation," and help Ohio's education
system nurture an inquiring environment where young people can see the
connection between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and
an exciting, productive future – a future that could turn students'
discoveries and creations into products and solutions for the world's
problems."
For Cal Halliburton, an education manager for Ideation and a former
teacher with 34 years service, I-TRIZ is the only methodology he's found
for problem solving and invention that has a base of knowledge in
technology. "For teachers, I-TRIZ's principles and concepts can help
create a curriculum that expands student learning beyond the usual
activities associated with design, problem solving and invention," he
said. "For students, regardless of grade level, it provides a perfect
conduit for discovering the excitement of solving problems and producing
inventions."
Dr. Jim Brandeberry, Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at Wright
State University and a registered professional engineer also thinks
I-TRIZ is a great idea. "Engineering should be a creative profession,"
he said, "but if you look at the way we all teach it, using a highly
mathematical and structured approach, creativity is ultimately all but
squashed." "When I saw that I-TRIZ teaches creativity using a structured
approach – the methodology clicked with my engineer mentality and
sparked my interest in exposing my faculty to I-TRIZ. I purchased a
software license for the university with the objective that it will lead
us to perhaps introducing it in some of our design classes. I believe
I-TRIZ has the potential to help us continue to educate very capable
engineers and make them creative at the same time."
IOS will also become the training ground for new I-TRIZ specialists,
some of whom will staff another newly formed organization called the
Ohio Innovation Center (OIC) LLC. With I-TRIZ as its foundational
building block, OIC was established primarily to provide the state's
business and technology communities with a total solution for innovation
and invention. "Although the major focus for IOS is Ohio's education
systems while OIC concentrates on helping the state's business and
industry sectors, there is a natural overlap between the two
organizations," said Bar-El. "This overlap creates a dynamic synergy
that will ultimately give Ohio the impetus it needs to become the most
innovative state in the U.S."
In addition to its emphasis on education, IOS will provide extended
benefits to existing Engineers Club members and help to attract new
membership. "With its focus on education and crossover to businesses, we
feel IOS will help our region to become more productive in the creation
of new intellectual properties," said Harry Couch, president of the
Engineers Club. "The organization will also provide the Miami Valley
with a tool that follows in the best traditions of past inventors like
the Wright Brothers and Charles Kettering by providing a better
methodology to help the region's scientists, researchers and businesses
find practical solutions to problems and become more successful
entrepreneurs."
NCC and Ideation Launch Ohio Innovation Center LLC
Dayton, OH – May 3, 2005 – The National Composite Center (NCC)
and Ideation International Inc. announced today that a new organization
has been formed called the Ohio Innovation Center (OIC) LLC. NCC,
headquartered in Dayton, Ohio and Ideation, based in Southfield,
Michigan, are teaming with the
Engineers Club of Dayton to revolutionize the state's business,
technology and education communities with a total solution for
innovation and invention.
OIC will be housed in the National Composite Center at 1950 Composite
Drive, Dayton, Ohio. An advisory committee has been established and
names the following members: Chuck Buchanan, a 1998 recipient of the
Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement for Dayton by the
Engineering and Science Foundation and Affiliate Society Council of
Dayton and certified TRIZ specialist; Harry Couch, President of the
Engineers Club; Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation; Lou Luedtke, President and
CEO of NCC; Dr. Jim Brandeberry, Dean of Engineering and Computer
Science at Wright State University; Gary Wnek, the Joseph F. Toot Jr.,
Professor of Engineering and Co-Director of the Institute for Management
and Engineering (TiME) at Case Western Reserve University; Wayne Earley,
Executive Director of PolymerOhio; Mike Fedotowsky, President of
Customer Focused Technologies, Inc.; Larry Jenkins, Aerospace
Environmental Management System Engineering Tech Expert for the USAF
Aeronautical System Center -- Engineering Directorate at
Wright-Patterson AFB; and Gideon Samid, PhD, President, D&G Sciences --
Virginia Technology Corporation.
"Ideation has a model for innovation that works," said Lou Luedtke,
President and CEO of NCC. "The company's unique knowledge-based
inventive problem-solving methodology called Ideation-TRIZ (pronounced
trees), among other benefits, is helping companies overcome
technological roadblocks, invent on demand and identify next generation
breakthrough products."
An improved and expanded form of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
(TRIZ), I-TRIZ has already been making its way into Ohio's businesses
and education system. Wnek plans to introduce the I-TRIZ methodology in
a course he co-teaches at Case Western on Product and Process Design,
Development and Delivery. "Innovation is on everyone's mind these days," Wnek said. "I've canvassed numerous local businesses and there is one
reoccurring theme. They all say the hardest part is idea generation,
categorization and screening. Rather than intuitive guessing and
trusting their selections to luck, they each want to have a better
understanding of how to pick the right idea that's worth investing in
and bring it full cycle." Wnek believes I-TRIZ may be a powerful answer.
Wayne Early also feels I-TRIZ is a strong solution for PolymerOhio's
member companies. "OIC and I-TRIZ can significantly enhance the
inventive and problem solving capabilities of our companies," he said.
"Ohio has a great opportunity to build new jobs and retain employment
with current and evolving polymer technologies. Twenty-eight hundred
Ohio polymer based companies and 140,000 polymer industry employees
provide a strong base to build on. OIC can be a critical aspect of our
success in capturing these opportunities."
But I-TRIZ is only part of the total system OIC will offer. "NCC is
recognized regionally and nationally for the development and
commercialization of cost competitive composite materials and
manufacturing processes," said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "NCC is
also able to take projects that would normally require up to 10 years to
move from the invention stage to industry application and dramatically
shortens those steps to just two to four years."
OIC's strategic location at NCC will allow it to offer manufacturers a
menu of options by tapping the Center's multiple disciplines which take
process development, process troubleshooting, product development,
prototyping and pilot production from concept to factory ready products.
"NCC will offer I-TRIZ and related services to its member companies and
target small business manufacturers of advanced materials that might not
normally be able to tap these kinds of resources," said Luedtke. The
Engineers Club of Dayton will provide the third component of the total
OIC solution by becoming the teaching facility for training I-TRIZ
experts to staff the new Innovation Center.
In addition to serving the business and technology communities, OIC's
services will also be made available to Ohio's educational system from
K-12 through university level. A technology employment study published
this month revealed that Ohio's high-technology employment fell by six
percent from 2002 to 2003. The study also made a connection between its
findings and the fact that fewer high school and college students are
majoring in the sciences.
"Dayton has been credited with producing the most patents per capita
than anywhere else in the world," said Bar-El. "Our goal is to use the
Ohio Innovation Center to take the state's business, technology and
education communities to new levels, get people excited about the wealth
that creativity, innovation and intellectual property can generate and
use the Center as a model that can be duplicated in other states. As the
birthplace of aviation, Dayton is responsible for an invention that
impacted the world. We believe that with an organization like OIC, new
inventions of that magnitude can still be produced and help Ohio become
the most innovative state in the U.S."
Since 1996, The National Composite Center has taken the lead in
pioneering efforts to promote, develop and apply advanced composite
technology to the aerospace and defense, automotive, commercial and
infrastructure markets. NCC's ability to link composites to the
appropriate markets is producing new business opportunities and sources
of income that are helping to expand the region's industrial base. NCC
has also established a pilot production plant to provide a central point
where companies can congregate to develop large-scale manufacturing
methods and establish industry standards. As a gatekeeper for the
composite age, NCC is also committed to the exploration of advanced
manufacturing technologies to provide industry and consumers alike with
high performance materials that last longer and cost less. By teaming
with colleges, universities and government, NCC is bridging the gap
between science and practicality to strengthen commerce in Ohio and
contribute positively to the lives of communities across the nation. For
more information visit NCC's website at
www.compositecenter.org.
To contact OIC: 1950 Composite Drive; Dayton, OH 45420; (937) 296-5028
Case Western Reserve students
partner with Ideation to form
Lake Effect Innovation
March 21, 2005 – From the Case Western
Reserve University News Center:
Case
graduate students solve real-world corporate issues through new company.
They've won bid to contract with Fortune 500 company.
The
Engineers Club Joint Venture with Ideation International is Out of the
Starting Gates
Joint venture announced,
September 2004. Fifteen new I-TRIZ practitioners have been
certified in the use of the Innovation
WorkBench® software in the new IOSI joint venture program at the
Club. It was fitting the group was trained in the "Hi Tech" Nutter Pub
among the inventive artifacts of our Club Members.
-
Five of the new certified I-TRIZ
practitioners were Club members who took advantage of the initial
program offering as a way to take the process back to their
companies or to give them a proven process to use during their
retirement.
-
Three of the trainees joined the Club to
gain access to the program.
-
Three of the trainees came from
distinguished engineering universities in the U.S.:
-- Case Western University – Dr. Gary Wnek, Co-Director for the
Integration of Management and Engineering
-- Wright State University – Dr. James Brandenberry, Dean of
Engineering
-- Western Ontario University – Dr. Ralph Buchal, Director of
Integrated Engineering and Design Education
-
Also attending the session was Larry
Smith, Quality Manager of Ford Motor Company, and two Ford
engineers, Maria Stoletova and Glenn Reed.
The training will conclude Friday, December 3rd.
The new I-TRIZ practitioners are automatically member of the IODC, or
Inventions On Demand Club. This group will meet monthly at the Club to
polish up their technique for generating needed inventive ideas. Those
invention needs will come from within the group, from the community, or
from you: If you have thoughts on what is lacking in our society, please
drop a line to Chuck Buchanan and
the team will put the idea on the "Problem Solving Agenda" for the group
to consider.
Several attendees in the program represent Ohio universities and
colleges. The technique is under consideration for incorporation into
curriculums at Wright State University, Sinclair Community College,
University of Dayton, and Case School of Engineering. Gary Wnek, from
Case School of Engineering, is making the I-TRIZ process a part of the
Case Graduate Master's of Engineering & Business program during the next
semester. Jim Brandenberry, a longtime Club member, is in the
investigatory stages of including the technology in an
innovation-focused degreed curriculum. IODC is currently in discussion
with University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College, and meetings
are planned in the near future.
In the first quarter of 2005, IODC will repeat the course and hold
second-level instruction in Anticipated Failure Determination and
Directed Evolution™. The team of I-TRIZ-certified practitioners will
offer their services to local companies to solve their problems. Please
call the Club to sign up for the training programs, or contact
Chuck Buchanan (937-238-3553) if
you have questions.
Federal-Mogul commits to Ideation for
software, training and consulting services
Southfield, MI – August 6, 2004 –
Ideation International is announcing a strategic relationship with
Federal-Mogul, one of the world's leading and largest automotive
suppliers. Ideation and Federal-Mogul have agreed to a phased
implementation of the I-TRIZ system, which includes software, training,
and consulting services for accelerating innovation.
Ideation first trained 20 Federal-Mogul
engineers in Inventive
Problem Solving in March 2004. Of those participants, four have
received advanced training with the goal of becoming internal I-TRIZ
experts. Federal-Mogul has also licensed Ideation's Inventive Problem
Solving software, the Innovation WorkBench™ (IWB). The four
Federal-Mogul experts certified in Inventive Problem Solving™ have also
been introduced to Ideation's
Anticipatory Failure
Determination™ and
Directed Evolution™ applications. Successful students will be
certified in these applications as training progresses.
"Federal-Mogul continues to bring
technological excellence to our products and processes. Having in-house
I-TRIZ proficiency to supplement our F-M TIPS program will enhance our
ability to be a much more innovative company," says Dr. William Zdeblick,
Director of Manufacturing R&D and a member of Federal-Mogul's corporate
innovation team. "The I-TRIZ Methodology contains powerful tools that
structure and accelerate innovation."
"Ideation International is honored to add
Federal-Mogul as a strategic partner in utilizing Ideation's I-TRIZ
methodology for innovation systems," said Pete Hanik, Senior Vice
President of Ideation and head of Ideation's consulting services
department. According to Hanik, "Federal-Mogul has made a significant
commitment to enhance and advance its capability to create new products,
solve problems, and utilize the I-TRIZ approach for Systematic
Innovation."
Federal-Mogul
(www.federal-mogul.com)
is a global supplier of automotive components, sub-systems, modules and
systems serving the world's original equipment manufacturers and the
aftermarket. The company utilizes its engineering and materials
expertise, proprietary technology, manufacturing skill, distribution
flexibility and marketing power to deliver products, brands and services
of value to its customers. Federal-Mogul is focused on the globalization
of its teams, products and processes to bring greater opportunities for
its customers and employees, and value to its constituents.
Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Federal-Mogul was founded in
Detroit in 1899 and today employs more than 45,000 people in 29
countries.
Ideation-Germany
established
Ideation-Germany is represented by
Dr. Elena A. Averboukh, Six Sigma Master Black Belt
(in German:
www.sixsigma-24.de)
and industry-funded
Professor of the University of Kassel in Quality and Safety Control
Systems. Dr. Averboukh is an internationally recognised expert providing
training, coaching and consulting in I-TRIZ and its applications for
technological and business process improvement, innovative design,
Six Sigma
for master
black
and green belts,
etc.
in
German, English and Russian languages. Her
institute, LUSI-Centre
(Interdisciplinary Centre for Quality of Life and Usability Studies)
distributes I-TRIZ software, books and
e-Learning
packages
in Germany. Dr. Averboukh
may be contacted via
e-mail at
e.averbukh@ieee.org or Fax
at
+49 561
877389.
More about
virtual classes
in innovation and I-TRIZ (in German and English).
Ideation's
Advisory Council meets
Ideation International's advisory council
held a meeting on April 10, 2003, with most members present as well as Lee
Fenicle and Mary Ann Wendland from Creighton University, and Larry Hatch
from Bowling Green State University. The main topics were
TRIZCon2003 held last month in Philadelphia, the TRIZ market, Ideation's
new developments, Ideation's association with universities, and recently
customized Ideation tools for delivering solutions to enhance an
enterprise's intellectual assets. The meeting yielded much fruitful
discussion.
Ideation teams with
VaNTH ERC for Bioengineering Educational Technologies
Ideation International, a VaNTH
ERC
industrial partner, is positioned to bring advanced methods of invention
and innovation in the form of its I-TRIZ methodology and patented software
and experience-based educational opportunities for students of
bioengineering. Read the letter of recognition.
About VaNTH ERC – Vanderbilt
University, Northwestern University, the University of Texas-Austin, and
the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology have joined
together to form the VaNTH ERC. VaNTH unites educators and
engineers, in academia and industry, to define and develop bioengineering
education for the future. It is at the focal point of bioengineering,
learning science and learning technology. The
Engineering
Research Centers (ERC) Program of the National Science Foundation
(NSF) stands as a landmark in federal support for university research in
partnership with industry. Over the past decade this partnership has
produced numerous engineered systems technologies, productive new
engineering processes, and other innovative products and services, along
with a new generation of graduates who have proven to be highly effective
in industry. The NSF provides more than twenty million dollars of support
during the time that an ERC grows and becomes self sustaining.
Parsons
announces strategic relationship with Ideation International to enhance
continuous innovation using I-TRIZ Methodology
Pasadena, CA – July
16, 2001 – Parsons, one of the world's
largest engineering firms, announced today a strategic relationship with
Ideation International, the world's leading provider of I-TRIZ accelerated
education, publications, software applications, and analytical services.
I-TRIZ, the practical application and continuing advancement of the Theory
of Inventive Problem Solving, is a technologically based system to organize,
improve, and expedite the process of creative thought. The I-TRIZ Methodology
leverages a vast knowledge base, combined with the ongoing research of
the world's premier TRIZ scientists, to bring the benefits of cost reduction,
product and process improvement, systematic innovation, and strategic
technical systems development to enterprises around the globe. Ideation
has trained sixteen senior Parsons experts in the problem solving and
analytical applications of I-TRIZ that directly complement Parsons' government
and commercial business services. The two companies will work on joint
projects to develop Parsons' in-house I-TRIZ expertise.
"Parsons has always
brought technological excellence to projects. Having in-house I-TRIZ proficiency
takes us up another level in our ability to help our clients solve problems
by providing them the highest degree of innovation possible," says Michael
Brady, Parsons' Vice President of the Commercial Sector. "The I-TRIZ Methodology
contains the most powerful tools available to structure and spur innovation."
The sixteen handpicked
Parsons experts have been certified in Inventive
Problem Solving™. They also received an overview of the Anticipatory
Failure Determination™ and Directed
Evolution™ applications. Successful students will be certified in
these applications as training progresses. Starting from this nucleus,
both organizations expect the alliance relationship to expand. Ultimately,
both hope Parsons' entire technical staff will be educated in the I-TRIZ
Methodology.
The alliance extends
beyond training to mutual support. Ideation will provide technical staff
for Parsons to utilize on client projects, while Parsons' experts will
deepen the penetration of systematic, structured innovation into mega-construction
and augment the number of I-TRIZ specialists available to Ideation International
for analytical services engagements around the world.
"I've been familiar
with Parsons for over twenty-five years," says Zion Bar-El, President
and CEO of Ideation International. "I know they are a first-class outfit.
It is a privilege to have a close alliance and to be involved with them
around the world." Bar-El continues, "Their presence in 80 countries will
help Ideation to disseminate the I-TRIZ Methodology and help enterprises
across the world in solving their most challenging technological problems."
About
Parsons – Parsons is one of the world's largest full-service
engineering, procurement, and construction organizations. As a leader
in many diversified markets, such as infrastructure and technology, transportation,
and energy and chemicals, Parsons provides services to federal, regional,
and local government agencies as well as private industries worldwide.
For more about Parsons Corporation, please visit us on the World Wide
Web at www.parsons.com.
Offer
to integrate systematic innovation into U.S. Education Reform Plan sent
to President Bush
SOUTHFIELD, MI,
March 19, 2001 – In a recent radio address, President Bush called
for a "new way of thinking" when it comes to the nation's educational
system, and his administration can accomplish that and more, particularly
if Zion Bar-El has his way.
Bar-El, president
and CEO of Ideation International, sent a letter to the President on March
2nd outlining how his company and educators in the United States and abroad
are working to improve the innovative abilities and skills of individuals
from K12 education through advanced graduate programs. "Mr. President,
Ideation's scientists, advisory board and alliances stand ready to help
you raise the bar for American education, innovation and entrepreneurship
and ensure that no student is left behind, regardless of age or economic
circumstance," he wrote.
Noting the correlation
between educational excellence, and the competitive advantage of American
companies, Bar-El presents a compelling case for enhancing creativity
and critical thinking skills through the application of a unique and structured
methodology for continuous innovation. This methodology is based on the
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), the result of extensive and
ongoing research, which began in 1946 with Genrich Altshuller, and was
introduced to the Western Hemisphere in 1991. Ideation International has
been successfully advancing and adapting the methodology for a wide range
of academic and business needs. Along with hundreds of corporate clients,
the company is currently working with some 42 universities and has a presence
in 28 countries.
Particularly noteworthy
are programs that demonstrate the positive impact that the Ideation/TRIZ
Methodology can have on education. For example, a program currently underway
at Vanderbilt University will make biomedical engineering students more
competitive with experienced engineers when they graduate. These students
will be more competitive because they will have learned how to think in
a new way and be able to resolve complex problems effectively and expeditiously.
Another successful program – Entrepreneurs Grow on TRIZ – was
recently completed at the Ames Middle School in Ames, Iowa.
Many of Bar-El's colleagues
agree that Ideation does indeed have a new formula for education. "We
are confident that this formula can help elevate the level of excellence
in the American educational system," Bar-El states. "Mr. President, we
have great and urgent work to do. Changing the existing educational
paradigm is a challenge, but it is a challenge that must be met."
As of today, Bar-El
has not received a reply from the President, but remains optimistic that
this administration will indeed explore all available options to ensure
that no student is left behind.
Information on the
methodology, Ideation International, its activities, and a copy of the
actual letter are available by contacting Ideation International at (248)
353-1313.
Ideation
International Unveils TRIZSoft® 2000 - Inventive Problem Solving Tools
for Breakthrough Innovation
SOUTHFIELD, MI,
October 3, 2000 –
Ideation International Inc., a leading provider of TRIZ-based products
and services, today introduced TRIZSOFT® 2000, the latest version
of its suite of Inventive Problem Solving (IPS) software tools that have
been upgraded with new features and benefits to help users attack complex
technological problems more effectively and more efficiently than ever
before.
Each innovation tool
in the IPS line-up – the Innovation
WorkBench® (IWB), the Improver™,
and the Ideator™ – has
been enhanced with an integrated environment for seamless interface between
I-TRIZ software modules, and an open architecture that allows users to
import data in HTML format. Performance of the IWB® has increased
8-fold, with enhancements based on customer feedback as well as internal
research, making it the "best in class" systematic innovation tool according
to preliminary user evaluation reports.
"The IWB® provides
significant enhancements and improvements, as one would expect with any
new release of a software product. The product is more intuitive, user-friendly
and easier to navigate. More significantly, my experience is that the
sum of the whole is greater than that of individual enhancements. These
improvements have "supercharged" my ability to generate novel and innovative
approaches to complex and seemingly baffling problems. The tighter integration
of the software, coupled with the enhanced set of "operators" creates
a seamless pathway to raw innovation," expressed Steve Ungvari, president
of Beacon Consulting Services, Inc.
In addition to the
new TRIZSoft® platform, the IWB includes:
-
Integrated and
improved Innovation Situation Questionnaire® (ISQ)
-
Streamlined Problem
Formulator - a patented analytical tool that gives users the ability
to model systems or problem situations in terms of cause-and-effect
relationships, and attack the overall problem more effectively by slicing
it into a subset of simpler (typical) engineering dilemmas.
-
Drag & Drop feature
to transfer information between the ISQ® and Problem Formulator
-
Enhanced System
of Operators - with direct access to the knowledge-base, a comprehensive
resource including 440 operators (innovation "secrets" abstracted from
worldwide patent libraries); the Innovative Illustration Library, with
examples of more than 1200 practical applications of the operators,
and the Innovation Guide, a compendium of articles describing physical,
chemical and geometric effects along with more than 1,000 engineering
applications.
-
Restructured Directions
for Innovation
-
"Click" to prioritize
directions of interest
-
Automatic transfer
of Directions for Innovation into the Ideation Process Report
-
Improved overall
structure to support knowledge management
Zion Bar-El, Ideation's
president and CEO, is excited about the new software, noting that the improved
capabilities of TRIZSoft® will not only allow enterprises to be more
efficient and successful in finding implementable solutions to problems
related to product design, cost reduction, and warranty issues, but "will
allow them to bridge the I-TRIZ methodology with other best practices."
Vanderbilt
Biomedical Engineering Students Take Part in Ideation/TRIZ Pilot Program
UPDATE: Vanderbilt
biomedical engineering
student projects:
2005-2006 |
2004-2005
| 2003-2004
| 2002-2003 |
2001-2002 |
2000-2001
SOUTHFIELD, MI – September 1,
2000 – Vanderbilt University's
senior biomedical engineering students, class of 2001, embark on a journey
this week … a journey which many hope culminates with both a degree
and a lucrative job placement. Some sixty of these students have enrolled
in Dr. Paul King's Design of Biomedical Engineering Systems Courses
(BME 272-273). They too have high hopes, but through a special pilot program
developed by Ideation International, and an agreement with Dr. King to
integrate the Ideation/TRIZ methodology and software tools into his curriculum
… they'll also have an edge.
"It's amazing," notes Ideation International President
& CEO Zion Bar-El. "These kids face the same challenges that
I did when I received a BS in Electronics Engineering in 1969. They
approach graduation with the same excitement, the same trepidation, the
same questions – 'What do I want to do? Can I do it? How competitive
will I be in the job market?'" The pilot program marks the beginning
of the realization of a long-time dream for Bar-El, to make a contribution
and positive impact on the lives of young engineers.
King, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
and Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt's School of Engineering, is a 30-year
teaching veteran with extensive research and practical biomedical engineering
experience. During the past ten years, he has been continuously developing
the curriculum to prepare senior biomedical engineering students for the
practical application of design principles for medical devices and systems.
As King discovered, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), is
uniquely suited for design work because it provides tools to analyze problems
and synthesize innovative solutions.
"I taught some very basic elements of TRIZ last year, and it went
well. I now want to present it much more comprehensively," remarks King.
"Ideation-TRIZ and the IWB software will help me provide my students
with a structured technique to assist them in the successful pursuit of
their design projects." This year, the courses will require the application
of the Ideation-TRIZ methodology – an advanced form of TRIZ –
through the use of Ideation's sophisticated innovation software tool
- the Innovation WorkBench™ System (IWB).
"We want to demonstrate that after acquiring a working knowledge
of the methodology and the IWB, graduating engineers will be in a position
to overcome technological challenges more expeditiously and more comprehensively
than experienced engineers," states Bar-El. "We want to help
these students be more successful and competitive, both in class and in
their future careers, so we're making an investment by sharing our
expertise with the methodology, and by making the IWB very affordable
for them."
Although the ideal scenario for the pilot program has not yet materialized,
i.e. the opportunity for students to benchmark their work on a real life
technological problem against experienced engineers, Bar-El and King remain
confident that the results will meet both their objectives and their expectations
– to enhance the innovative skills of these young engineers, and
to increase their efficiency and success in product/system design work.
An invitation to manufacturers of medical instrumentation or equipment
to submit technological problems related to design, cost reduction, or
new features is open until October 1. Company representatives should contact
Bar-El for more information about the program at (248) 353-1313.
Project work will begin in the December/January timeframe and will be
completed in April 2001. Ideation will support Dr. King's efforts
throughout the pilot program with regular visits to the classroom and
by supplying educational materials. Both Dr. King and Ideation's
Chief Scientist Boris Zlotin will evaluate the completed projects for
best use of the methodology and software tool, and to identify the most
innovative approaches. Awards will be given to the top ranking students.
All students completing the class, its requirements and projects will
receive Ideation/TRIZ Inventive Problem Solving certification, and are
required to submit a report on their experiences with Ideation/TRIZ and
the IWB.
Student progress reports will be available
on-line at http://vubme.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/King/student_project_listing_2000.htm
beginning November 2000. Reports
on this project will also be available beginning November 2000 at Ideation's
web site.
"Ideation is involved with some 37 universities in 28 countries,"
commented Bar-El. "This relationship with Dr. King is the first opportunity
we have had to share our methodology and tools in a meaningful way. We're
very interested in talking with like-minded educators to bring the Theory
of Inventive Problem Solving into their classrooms, and to give their
students value creation skills that will last a lifetime."
About Vanderbilt
University – Vanderbilt University is a private research
university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and
professional students. In 1999, the National Science Foundation selected
the University as the home of its newest Engineering Research Center and
the first in the nation dedicated to bioengineering education. The
Vanderbilt-Northwestern-Texas-Harvard/MIT (VaNTH) Center for Bioengineering
Educational Technologies teams the bioengineering and learning sciences
faculty at each of these institutions to develop educational resources
to prepare for the future of bioengineering. The VaNTH
ERC draws from the five institutions' expertise to develop an
organized knowledge base for bioengineering, determine the best teaching
strategies to train practitioners, and to create teaching materials that
can be adapted to a wide range of bioengineering specialties.
Ideation
International in Salon.com
READ
THE ARTICLE: The science of invention
By
Mark Wallace. "Can a theory cooked up by a Soviet labor camp
survivor solve today's thorniest engineering problems -- and make the
world a better place?"
Machine
Design publishes article on AFD™
June 15, 2000:
Machine
Design (see
"Inventive
Troubleshooting")
– article on Anticipatory Failure Determination™ ( AFD), an application
of the Ideation/TRIZ Methodology. Read
more about AFD . . .
Hitachi
Ltd. implementing TRIZ throughout company
May 28, 2000 – Business Update – Mr. Tsukasa
Shinohara, editor for Nikkei Mechanical, Japan's premier technical
magazine for mechanical engineers, illustrated the growing interest in
the TRIZ methodology and TRIZ-based software products within Japanese
industry in a recent communication regarding Hitachi Ltd. Hitachi and
other Japanese companies have been implementing Quality Function Deployment
(QFD), Taguchi, Design of Experiments, and the Theory of Inventive Problem
Solving (TRIZ) into their engineering practices, and are interested in
how U.S. industry is accepting TRIZ and whether corporate management is
embracing it.
Hitachi initiated its implementation project – Hi
Speed 21 – in 1999, making it one of the most serious companies
in Japan to promote TRIZ in-house. Company officials recently began accepting
interview requests regarding the project, and Nikkei Mechanical plans
to interview them soon, focusing on their interest in TRIZ.
Hitachi began its investigations into TRIZ some two years
ago, with an emphasis on how to integrate the methodology into its existing
corporate engineering and technical structure. The company has subsequently
trained a number of employees, including engineers and managers, in the
so-called "classical" TRIZ methodology and the use of TRIZ-based
software products.
Ideation International helped to organize a meeting between
Hitachi representatives Toshihiro Hayashi, Senior Manager, and Setsuo
Arita, Senior Researcher, and Don Masingale, program manager for Boeing
Commercial Airplane Co. in Wichita, KS last November to discuss TRIZ and
other engineering methodologies, such as Taguchi, QFD, and the Theory
of Constraints (TOC). Masingale, a TRIZ specialist, was recommended as
a knowledgeable information resource because he has personally conducted
extensive research on the methodology and TRIZ-based software products.
During the meeting with Masingale, Hayashi and Arita
shared several presentations outlining the wide scope of their effort
to implement TRIZ. These presentations also demonstrated Hitachi's
approach to infuse TRIZ with other engineering and technical methodologies
to provide innovative, high quality, and profitable products to its customers.
Much of the discussion was focused on TRIZ-based software
and numerous evaluations of two products, Ideation International's
Innovation WorkBench System™ (IWB), v 2.2, and Invention
Machine Corporation's TechOptimizer™, v. 3.0. Hitachi's
findings, which were based on their use of both applications, were in
line with similar conclusions drawn by software users within industry
and academia from the United States and other countries.
According to Masingale, the majority of individuals he
had contacted who had tested both the IWB and TechOptimizer held that
the IWB was their product of choice, citing its user friendliness as the
primary factor. Additionally, these users concluded that the IWB not only
offered more TRIZ-based problem solutions than the TechOptimzer, it guided
the user through each step of the process – and was priced more competitively
as well.
Also mentioned was the observation that although significant
advertising by Invention Machine Corporation had made the TechOptimizer
more recognizable within the marketplace, the product did not produce
consistent and usable results. On the other hand, the IWB, along with
proper training, provided better direction for achieving an innovative
solution to a complex problem, be it product- or process-oriented.
Firm
Providing Innovation to Industry Reinvents the Electric Shaver
SOUTHFIELD, MI – January 24,
2000 – Ideation International, a company providing tools and techniques
that help many of the world's largest companies innovate and solve
problems, has reinvented the electric shaver and filed for broad, worldwide
patent protection. The new electric shaver provides a much larger shaving
area in a single pass, and is able to cut hairs growing in any and all
directions at the same time! This eliminates the need to constantly move
the shaver back and forth over an area, providing a big improvement in
a product not known for recent technological advancements.
"We wanted to be able to show the world
what our capabilities can do in virtually any given field. Our clients
usually do not let us talk about the innovations we do on a work for hire
basis, and they may not emerge into the marketplace for many years,"
said Zion Bar-El, CEO of Ideation. "We chose the electric shaver
because it is a well known product that has not seen much innovation in
recent years, and because we do not represent any clients in the shaver
business. This leaves us free to use our improvement as a model of what
can be done with even the sleepiest of industries."
Ideation is in discussions with several shaver
manufacturers interested in taking these breakthrough concepts to market.
"We expect our innovations to help transform the shaving industry
by offering a significantly improved product at a competitive price. We
started out to demonstrate our methodology, and the results were so good
they surprised even us!" Mr. Bar-El extolled.
The new electric shaver provides a one-pass
shave delivering the closeness of a straight edge razor. Additional benefits
to the consumer include reduced skin irritation and allergic reaction,
improved muscle stimulation, and increased usability for individuals with
disabilities, such as arthritis.
The Directed Evolution™ process analyzes technological,
market and societal domains. In the case of the electric shaver, Ideation
looked to mate its technological development with the technological resources,
market environment and consumer needs. The ultimate goal was to develop
concepts for a "next generation" product that would deliver
a razor close shave, safely, easily and provide collateral benefits to
the user. Working independently to illustrate the power of Ideation's
proprietary Directed Evolution™ methodology, Ideation scientists studied
the evolution of shaving devices, from straight edge razors to state-of-the-art
electric shavers. The shaver was chosen because of its endurance, mass-market
appeal, and low rate of recent innovations.
Ideation's analysis of existing shavers
determined that while the majority "looked good" and "worked
adequately," there was room for major improvements in both the primary
and secondary functions of the system. The Directed Evolution process
led Ideation to use technologies from other industries to identify new
directions for the system, i.e. creating an electric shaver primarily
designed to remove hair below the level of the skin, which also removed
the hair from the skin's surface and massaged the skin without requiring
constant manipulation by the user.
More information on the Directed
Evolution process can be found on Ideation's web site. Specific details
related to the breakthrough concepts developed for the electric shaver
are available by contacting Ideation at (248) 353-1313.
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