By KIM BELLARD
I thought of writing concerning the election, however I’m too anxious – and a bit of terrified – about it, so I’ll take a cross. I used to be intrigued by Oracle Well being’s promise of an AI-driven, “next-generation” EHR, or the information that OpenAI was introducing ChatGPT search, however I felt that every was inevitable and but that each would show underwhelming within the brief time period.
So I made a decision to put in writing about invention.
The November challenge of IEEE Spectrum journal is all about invention, beginning with the tantalizing overview Why the Art of Invention Is Always Being Reinvented. “Invention doesn’t come from some innate genius, it’s not one thing that solely actually particular folks get to do,” says Stephanie Couch, govt director of the Lemelson MIT Program.
Nonetheless, authors Eliza Strickland and Peter B. Meyer warn, “…the bounds of what a person can obtain have turn into starker over time. To deal with a few of the largest issues dealing with humanity at the moment, inventors want a deep-pocketed authorities sponsor or company largess to muster the tools and collective human brainpower required.”
Inform that to UTEP pupil Tayia Oddonetto. Whereas an undergraduate, she had an epiphany. “Throughout class, the professor stated that if somebody found how one can flip brine, water with a excessive salt focus, into one thing of worth, it’d be revolutionary for the planet. At that second, I instructed myself I used to be going to be the one who discovered the answer for brine, and that thought has by no means left me.”
And she or he did it. As a substitute of the extra frequent reverse osmosis (RO) methodology of desalination, which at greatest converts 85% of salt water into recent water and leaves a problematic 15% of concentrated brine, Ms. Oddonetto used one thing referred to as salt-free, electrodialysis metathesis. Because the press release describes it: “Salt-free electrodialysis metathesis treats brine by passing it by way of ion trade membranes, skinny sheets or movies, and electrical currents that work to separate salt from water on the molecular stage.”
Her method produced over 90% recent water, and generated larger ranges of useful metals and minerals that may be repurposed throughout a number of industries together with expertise, well being and meals.
“Tayia’s analysis will assist public utilities lower your expenses whereas enabling folks nationwide to scale back their utility payments in a significant manner, advancing society’s intention of water conservation,” stated Ivonne Santiago, Ph.D., an affiliate professor within the Division of Civil Engineering at UTEP and now Ms. Oddonetto’s doctoral advisor. “Within the subsequent few years, I anticipate that we are going to see Tayia’s analysis utilized on a big scale and absolutely see the great profit her work can have on humankind. Her journey is a testomony to her perseverance, the significance of engaged on difficult issues and the worth of a powerful work ethic and optimistic perspective.”
“Incomes an award and funding for my analysis is extremely validating. It is a advanced and troublesome problem to deal with and the journey has been filled with roadblocks and setbacks,” stated Ms. Oddonetto. “However I stored at it, and to be acknowledged for the worth of my work is proof that every one my effort and perception on this mission was worthwhile.” She’s now working with the Nationwide Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), El Paso Water, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination plant, New Mexico State College and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to refine the method.
Or take a gaggle of 4 engineering college students on the College of Toronto. As profiled by The Wall Street Journal, the 4 college students entered into an anti drone expertise competitors (Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Sandbox 2024) hosted by the Canadian navy, and – towards rivals like Boeing and Teledyne — tied for second, profitable some $375,000 (Canadian). First place was C$1 million.
Ms. Poletaev, a cloth science pupil, was having espresso with Parth Mahendru, an aerospace-engineering pupil whereas discussing the competitors. They enlisted Asad Ishaq, a robotics pupil, and Michael Acquaviva, {an electrical} engineering pupil.
As a substitute of utilizing flashy approaches like lasers, the staff used sound to take down drones. “Not every thing needs to be violent or… damaging,” Anna Poletaev said. “[Our technology can make a drone] suppose that it’s 5,000 toes off the bottom when it’s really just some metres above,” Mr. Mahendru defined.
In line with the UT press release, “the system may disrupt visible feeds for drones counting on cameras, making navigation almost unattainable. It will possibly scale back visuals to mere pixels and even disable the digicam.”
They did all this spending $17,000 of their one cash, largely by way of bank cards.
The scholars have based Prandtl Dynamics as they search to commercialize their product, in addition to make it extra strong (for instance, extending its vary from 100 meters). “We now have a special market that doesn’t… battle with anybody else, simply due to the novelty of the concept,” Mr. Mahendru noted. The staff can also be actively looking for partnerships and experience from business specialists.
They’ve some challenges forward. As WSJ notes: “Funding for earlier-stage corporations, although, is commonly arduous to come back by. Globally, solely two seed-capital investments, value a complete of $14.2 million, have been made in protection startups final yr, in response to the information supplier PitchBook. The federal authorities has spent billions in recent times on expertise from prime national-security startups, however most U.S. defense spending continues to go to conventional navy contractors.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Mahendru insists, “Working for ourselves, that’s what’s most enjoyable.”
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Within the IEEE Spectrum invention challenge, inventor Dean Kamen warned: “Immediately, whereas invention is getting simpler and simpler, I believe there are some points of innovation which have gotten far more troublesome.” He defines innovation as when one thing reaches the dimensions to affect or remodel the world. For software program, that’s simple; for bodily objects, not a lot. He blames competitors and regulatory environments.
If any sector inhibits innovations from turning into really improvements, it needs to be well being care. All anybody has to say is “affected person security” and inventors get chilly toes. The hoops inventors have to leap by way of to get FDA approval or to be lined by well being insurers is daunting. Innovators beware.
However I’m reminded of individuals like Susannah Fox, who writes about the Maker movement in well being care, the place sufferers and their households aren’t prepared to attend for “the system” to get round to fixing their issues. As a substitute, they create options on their very own. We’d like extra Makers in well being care, and we have to assist them attain Mr. Kamen’s innovation stage of reworking the world – or, on this case, the healthcare system.
Extra of us have to take Ms. Oddonetto’s perspective: “I instructed myself I used to be going to be the one who discovered the answer.”
Kim is a former emarketing exec at a significant Blues plan, editor of the late & lamented Tincture.io, and now common THCB contributor
