Social Enterprise, Engineering Solutions?

[Punx0r]

A bit of cryptic title...

I've been asked to write about the process of developing an idea into an innovation. The subject is Social Enterprise - addressing a need in society.

The idea itself isn't so important, it's just for illustration, but I'm having a hard time thinking of something interesting. It should be a new/novel use of an existing technology (something well researched and published - it's important to use "expert" opinion).

It can be anything: public transport, clean energy, public health/fitness, mobility or sensual aids for disabled people etc.

Thanks to the U.S military the prosthesis sector is full of awesome technology, but everything I think of has already been suggested or done!

Anyone got their creative hat on?

Ant

 

[Kingfish]

Gosh, I would think there are plenty of plum ideas and examples to pick from. Why does it have to be completely new? How about new to your Boss (or professor)? How much rope do we need to be creative?

Why not just select something common, like a Paperclip and apply it to something out of the box, like an indispensable tool for resetting micro machines, watches, routers, and levers?

Or how you can take an old spoke and repurpose it as a punch to extract small contacts from their connector housings, or a scribe for soft metal rims and hub covers?

Personally, I always liked how we could reuse walnut shells around the garden as a non-toxic way to keep slugs and snails away from decimating flowers and vegetables. It’s also used to apply texture when shot at high velocity at plastic-injection molds prior to surface tempering – but most people don’t know that. The rough texture provides a firm gripping surface for hands and palms and is useful for all sorts of components affecting public activity.

~KF