Aim of innovation

To imagine a new way to answer a need, to save raw materials, energy, work, to improve reliability of products or to reduce dependency on outside sources at every level.

Basis of innovation

Fundamental research

This is the type of research conducted by well financed laboratories to look for new scientific discoveries. This is not the field we are working on.

A wide knowledge of different fields

To create something useful in the real world, you first need to know as much as possible about this real world. This means having theoretical and practical knowledge in the following fields

-    knowledge of the real economy :

-    means of production (agricultural and industrial production)
-    relations between means of production, raw materials, energy
-    means of transport
-    technical knowledge and tools to access it

-    knowledge of the economy and society

-    different models of organisation of the economy and society
-    financial industry
-    accountancy

-    computer science: computers and software allowing,

-    to fairly easily manipulate a very large quantity of data
-    computer-aided design and the automation of production
-    a much better technical analysis

-    a simulation of processes before introducing them in the real world which make it possible to study many virtual solution. This type of work can be best described with the word « simulation ».

-    biology : to study relations between living organisms and the world around them

-    social sciences : what are the psychological and biological mechanisms that motivate the actions of people

-    language knowledge . It is difficult to get reliable information without knowing several languages, one of them being english. In a few years, a good knowledge of chinese will probably be necessary

Simulation

To innovate means to give a new response to something. It is not by thinking like everybody else that it is possible to imagine new solutions. It is necessary to ask new questions, to create a new way to think about the world and then to imagine what could be the solution to the new problems this new way of thinking would create. It is (should be!) then necessary to analyse if this innovation will not bring more problems that could have a negative impact. Equally, before trying to put into practice a new solution, it may be very useful to try to improve it while still in the concept stage. This is the same as creating a kind of virtual world simulating as best as possible the material constraints of the real world. Before being created in the real world, an idea must first be inserted in a virtual word, be it the imagination or a software simulation tool. That is why if one want to create useful innovation, one needs a large knowledge of the real world and a wide experience. The power of today's computer and software is such that it is quite impossible to work without them. You will find more information about simulation software in the right column of this page but the world of the imagination is more personal.

Technology monitoring

To innovate It is necessary to have a good idea of existing technology to avoid creating something already existing or outdated because of new technology. Monitoring of technology means looking for technical information about new technology and products in the world. Obviously this is not possible without a good knowledge of several languages but also without some understanding of other cultures. Sometimes new technology allow to create a totally new response to old problems.

The principal tools of technology monitoring

Wikipedia

You will note the difference between the number of articles written in english and the number of articles written in other languages.

Web Sites of the most important countries

Many Web Sites have interesting articles about new technology (mostly in english).

Professional technical Web Sites

Most interesting but for most of them there is a charge for admission. There are also often to specialised. They start to be very useful once you look for something fairly well defined.

International fairs, for instance the Hanover fair in Germany

Most interesting but you need to spend some days there...

Technical books and magazines