Avoiding Intellectual Property Problems

Patents, copyrights, trademarks, as well as trade secrets and related rights can be used to exclude free riders. These rights are usually collectively called intellectual property or IP. Everyone should know how to cost-effectively protect their own rights

IP Basics: Avoiding Patent, Trademark and Copyright Problems

Patents, copyrights and trademarks, as well as trade secrets and related rights, can be used to exclude free riders. These rights are collectively called intellectual property or IP

Irreducible incoherence and intelligent design : a look into the conceptual toolbox of a pseudoscience

The concept of Irreducible Complexity (IC) has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the creationist movement over the past two decades. Evolutionary biologists and philosophers have unambiguously rejected the purported demonstration of “intelligent design” in nature, but there have been several, apparently contradictory, lines of criticism. We argue that this is in fact due to Michael Behe's own incoherent definition and use of IC. This paper offers an analysis of several equivocations inherent in the concept of Irreducible Complexity and discusses the way in which advocates of the Intelligent Design Creationism (IDC) have conveniently turned IC into a moving target. An analysis of these rhetorical strategies helps us to understand why IC has gained such prominence in the IDC movement, and why, despite its complete lack of scientific merits, it has even convinced some knowledgeable persons of the impending demise of evolutionary theory

Exploring the Evolution of the Mousetrap

This paper contributes to a pedagogical approach to teaching design related to social development by presenting and discussing the technical-solution and design evolution of a simple, everyday product. There is a need to explore the influence of social developments on approaches to product development and design solutions. It is important that students experience and observe how social conventions influence design. This paper investigates whether the evolution of the mousetrap has been driven by highly pragmatic and ergonomic influences or by certain social developments influencing how the (Western) world behaves towards fundamental questions, such as the issue of death. A case study of mousetraps focuses on what has been a principal solution of mousetrap construction from the first patented trap in the early 1900s to the latest models: a stroke against the neck of mice. How has the evolution of this solution been expressed in the objects? Immaterial values are reflected in the traps, and this case study shows how social norms can outweigh technical and ergonomic considerations in product development. Describing and analysing the history of the trap and considering relevant theory can have an impact on design students to reflect more on the market and social awareness. Using specific and typical examples from the history of the mousetrap and visually showing how the development of the trap over more than 100 years will contribute to understanding the complex issues involved in simple, everyday objects

Technology Worth Patenting

Inevitably scarce resources are better invested in deciding which [patent] applications are worth filing and seeking the broadest defensible claims for those that are chosen. Whether a patent can be obtained for less than, say, $10,000 is the wrong question. Whether a patent is worth having is the better question—particularly from the standpoint of prospective licensees

IP Basics: Seeking Cost-Effective Patents

This discussion briefly explores the range of intellectual property options in view of the nature of inventions and their market value, particularly for entrepreneurs. Specific strategies for controlling ever-increasing patent costs in the face of market uncertainty. It does not recommend that inventors prosecute patent applications themselves, lest they get much less than they pay for