Not All Bad: An Historical Perspective on Software Patents

This Paper places the current debates about software patents in the historical context of patenting in the information technology industries. The first computer-program products were sold in the mid 1960s when software patents were not generally allowed; as a result, trade secrecy became endemic to the software industry. Software products were also protected by copyright, but in practice this offered little protection against most forms of appropriation by reverse engineering or cloning. By the early 1980s a series of landmark cases led to the acceptance of software patents. It is argued that this development was consistent with the patenting of algorithmic inventions that long predated the invention of the computer. In the 1990s, business method patents were accepted. Again, it is argued that this development was consistent with the virtualization of inventions that long predated the Internet. It is shown that patents offer similar benefits to the software industry as for other technological industries, as well as some old and new disadvantages. The Paper draws three main conclusions. First, from an historical viewpoint, software patents are not radically different from those of other technologies; the patent system has adapted to the particular demands of new technologies over time, and the software patent system is already making such adaptations. Second, patents are superior to the alternative IP regimens of trade secrecy and copyright, primarily because of the public benefits of disclosure. Third, patents offer the most economically efficient way of co-ordinating multiple R&D investments in major software technologies

Analogical creative thinking and its application to engineering design and enterprise

Analogical thinking is valuable to creative design as it assists generation of new knowledge by mapping analogically from source domain to target domain. This study endeavours to enhance the value of analogical thinking in creative design by the development of Analogical Creative Process (ACP), and evaluation of its application in projects of engineering design and enterprise design. ACP is a systematic step-by-step tool to enable analogical thinking in design, and is derived from the fundamental cognitive process of key theories for analogy establishment. It analyses the given design problem as a complex of sub-systems and identifies their functions, before analogically mapping over the relations among the sub-systems between different domains. With these features, ACP is capable of providing tangible guidance on analogical thinking for designers without requirement of their existing experience in use of analogy. The effectiveness of ACP in creative ideation is examined with positive outcome observed in a real-life engineering design project compared to non-analogical approaches. The interrelations between creativity, analogy and design are identified featuring ACP and analogical thinking through a prescriptive study. As a result, a novel analogy-empowered creative design process is proposed and applied in an enterprise design project as a new field of application for analogical thinking in design. Initial evaluation supports the application success of the creative design process and analogical thinking is proven valuable in assisting enterprise design practices. The outcomes of this study include development of ACP based on the cognitive model of analogy, establishment of a new connection between creativity, analogy and design by the analogy-embedded creative design process, and a new design application of analogical thinking in enterprise. The identification of the value of analogical thinking in the context of enterprise design provides the researchers and entrepreneurs with a new tool to enhance enterprise design and business progress.Open Acces

Machine Learning Technologies and Their Applications for Science and Engineering Domains Workshop -- Summary Report

The fields of machine learning and big data analytics have made significant advances in recent years, which has created an environment where cross-fertilization of methods and collaborations can achieve previously unattainable outcomes. The Comprehensive Digital Transformation (CDT) Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics team planned a workshop at NASA Langley in August 2016 to unite leading experts the field of machine learning and NASA scientists and engineers. The primary goal for this workshop was to assess the state-of-the-art in this field, introduce these leading experts to the aerospace and science subject matter experts, and develop opportunities for collaboration. The workshop was held over a three day-period with lectures from 15 leading experts followed by significant interactive discussions. This report provides an overview of the 15 invited lectures and a summary of the key discussion topics that arose during both formal and informal discussion sections. Four key workshop themes were identified after the closure of the workshop and are also highlighted in the report. Furthermore, several workshop attendees provided their feedback on how they are already utilizing machine learning algorithms to advance their research, new methods they learned about during the workshop, and collaboration opportunities they identified during the workshop

Regional Architecture: A Sustainable Archetype for Kaho'olawe

This project aims to demonstrate that Regionalism integrated with a focus on Sustainability and Culture creates place specific, sustainable, and culturally appropriate architecture. Regionalism and sustainable design methods are essential to creating appropriate meaningful architecture of place that people can identify with. All the contextual forces of a region such as, climate, resources, culture, economics, historical context, and technology, inform design. Cultural values are sources of inspiration for creativity to approach design. Cultural values are represented through architecture Regionalism is a well suited design method that when coupled with strategies of sustainability and cultural integration can provide a holistic approach to architecture. Regionalism’s framework assists the architect in addressing all the contexts for a project specific to place especially aspects of sustainability and integrating cultural values. Kaho‘olawe Island represents the Hawaiian cultural heritage and revival. The restoration effort on Kaho‘olawe could be appropriately communicated through a regionalist design approach to help Hawaiians, Restoration Staff, and Volunteers better understand the value of the Island past, present, and future. The following research defines Regionalism, Sustainability, and Culture to develop a hybrid regional design methodology. Three specific case studies analyzed and evaluated the design process of architecture with a respective focus on Regionalism, Sustainability, and culturally sensitive design. This research uses these definitions and examples to develop a hybrid design method termed Culturally Sustainable Regionalism. The ability of this hybrid design methodology to create place specific, sustainable, and culturally appropriate architecture is demonstrated in an application located on Kaho‘olawe

Innovative approach in companies: case study – Accenture

Mestrado em em Gestão e EmpreendorismoCurrently organizations are increasingly changing from the outset in their technological resources which is run through the processes of innovation. What is the purpose of this constant change? Organizations are seeking to become more effective and efficient in all its methods and departments, this is being achieved by a key tool that is innovation. Based on the literature review I realized that innovation in today's business days is a crucial factor for success, change management and efficiency of many developed procedures. An organization in order to succeed, sooner or later ends up creating innovation. The process of creating an innovation is critical to organizations and according to words of famous authors (Keeble & Wilkinson, 1999) is the result of a process of collective learning. Innovation is a spiralling process which begins at the individual level and goes up which means launching interaction between departments within organization. This work will also refer to a practical case study performed in Accenture Services and Operations main offices in Warsaw, conducted by surveys, with the purpose to understand what are the implications of innovations on employees´ on a daily basis.Atualmente, as organizações estão em constante mudança, cada vez mais ao nível dos seus recursos tecnológicos, que são geridos por processos de inovação. Qual é o propósito desta mudança constante? As organizações procuram e ambicionam tornarem-se mais eficazes e eficientes em todos os seus métodos, sistemas e departamentos, o que está sendo alcançado por um conceito chave que é a inovação. Com base na revisão da literatura, percebi que a inovação nos dias de hoje é um fator crucial para o sucesso, gestão, transformação e eficiência de muitos procedimentos desenvolvidos. Uma organização para ter sucesso, mais cedo ou mais tarde, cria inovação. O processo de criação de uma inovação é fundamental para as organizações e de acordo com as palavras de autores famosos (Keeble & Wilkinson, 1999) é o resultado de um processo de aprendizagem coletiva. A inovação é um processo em espiral que começa num nível individual e aumenta, o que significa que inicia e desenvolve a interação entre os departamentos dentro da organização. Este trabalho também tem como foco e objetivo um estudo de caso prático realizado nos escritórios principais da Accenture Serviços e Operações, localizados em Varsóvia. Esta componente prática é realizada sobretudo através de questionários, pesquisas e observações, com o intuito de entender quais são as implicações da inovação para a empresa e sobretudo para os colaboradores nos seus processos diários.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)

Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles