Current policy issues in the governance of the European patent system

The European Parliament has been working towards building a discussion platform and a resource for further policy actions in the field of intellectual property rights. The Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel has set the goal of further enlarging the area of investigation in light of recent policy developments at the European level. In particular, the current study covers current policy issues in the governance of the European patent system, such as the backlog issue, the enhancement of patent awareness within the European Parliament, patent enforcement, the regional dimension of intellectual property in Europe, patents and standardisation, the use of existing patents, and patents and competition. These issues were discussed in the conference with stakeholders from European to national patent offices, from private to public sector actors. As a result of the conference, it was stated the need for an IP strategy for Europ

ICS Materials. Towards a re-Interpretation of material qualities through interactive, connected, and smart materials.

The domain of materials for design is changing under the influence of an increased technological advancement, miniaturization and democratization. Materials are becoming connected, augmented, computational, interactive, active, responsive, and dynamic. These are ICS Materials, an acronym that stands for Interactive, Connected and Smart. While labs around the world are experimenting with these new materials, there is the need to reflect on their potentials and impact on design. This paper is a first step in this direction: to interpret and describe the qualities of ICS materials, considering their experiential pattern, their expressive sensorial dimension, and their aesthetic of interaction. Through case studies, we analyse and classify these emerging ICS Materials and identified common characteristics, and challenges, e.g. the ability to change over time or their programmability by the designers and users. On that basis, we argue there is the need to reframe and redesign existing models to describe ICS materials, making their qualities emerge

Intellectual Property Management in Health and Agricultural Innovation: A Handbook of Best Practices, Vol. 1

Prepared by and for policy-makers, leaders of public sector research establishments, technology transfer professionals, licensing executives, and scientists, this online resource offers up-to-date information and strategies for utilizing the power of both intellectual property and the public domain. Emphasis is placed on advancing innovation in health and agriculture, though many of the principles outlined here are broadly applicable across technology fields. Eschewing ideological debates and general proclamations, the authors always keep their eye on the practical side of IP management. The site is based on a comprehensive Handbook and Executive Guide that provide substantive discussions and analysis of the opportunities awaiting anyone in the field who wants to put intellectual property to work. This multi-volume work contains 153 chapters on a full range of IP topics and over 50 case studies, composed by over 200 authors from North, South, East, and West. If you are a policymaker, a senior administrator, a technology transfer manager, or a scientist, we invite you to use the companion site guide available at http://www.iphandbook.org/index.html The site guide distills the key points of each IP topic covered by the Handbook into simple language and places it in the context of evolving best practices specific to your professional role within the overall picture of IP management

LookBook: pioneering Inclusive beauty with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms

Technology's imperfections and biases inherited from historical norms are crucial to acknowledge. Rapid perpetuation and amplification of these biases necessitate transparency and proactive measures to mitigate their impact. The online visual culture reinforces Eurocentric beauty ideals through prioritized algorithms and augmented reality filters, distorting reality and perpetuating unrealistic standards of beauty. Narrow beauty standards in technology pose a significant challenge to overcome. Algorithms personalize content, creating "filter bubbles" that reinforce these ideals and limit exposure to diverse representations of beauty. This cycle compels individuals to conform, hindering the embrace of their unique features and alternative definitions of beauty. LookBook counters prevalent narrow beauty standards in technology. It promotes inclusivity and representation through self-expression, community engagement, and diverse visibility. LookBook comprises three core sections: Dash, Books, and Community. In Dash, users curate their experience through personalization algorithms. Books allow users to collect curated content for inspiration and creativity, while Community fosters connections with like-minded individuals. Through LookBook, users create a reality aligned with their unique vision. They control consumed content, nurturing individualism through preferences and creativity. This personalization empowers individuals to break free from narrow beauty standards and embrace their distinctiveness. LookBook stands out with its algorithmic training and data representation. It offers transparency on how personalization algorithms operate and ensures a balanced and diverse representation of physicalities and ethnicities. By addressing biases and embracing a wide range of identities, LookBook sparks a conversation for a technology landscape that amplifies all voices, fostering an environment celebrating diversity and prioritizing inclusivity

The Social Appraisal of Techno-Experiments: Whirlpools and Mosaics of Smart Urbanism

Technology-driven experiments—techno-experiments—have become a central mode of spatial intervention in a paradigm of smart growth. They are often considered a manifestation of a techno-managerial approach to governance, built upon the increasing influence of IT corporations on urban politics. Yet, there is little evidence indicating how these interests articulate techno-experiments and shape their legacies over the long run. This paper questions the varied politics of techno-experiments by comparing four projects in Stockholm and Amsterdam: two smart energy grid pilots and two online community-based platforms. Mobilizing the notion of the “social appraisal of technology,” it argues that techno-experiments can take different forms depending on how the role of digital technology is defined and negotiated by actors throughout the process of experimentation. The paper empirically shows that experiments can evolve in two main ways, defined as “whirlpools” and “mosaics.” As whirlpools, they upscale self-referentially; as mosaics, they instead extend into a set of scattered spin-offs. The key factors producing such outcomes, these cases show, are the form of partnership established at the outset of techno-experiments, and the ability of research funding and governmental agencies to steer projects as they develop

Brick a Brick: Using Applied Improvisation to Build Empathy in Design Facilitators

The surge in design thinking and people-centered design worldwide has given rise to a new role for designers: design facilitator. A design facilitator is leading diverse groups of participants through the design process, providing opportunities for them to share their perspectives, and guiding them as they contribute to design solutions. These engagements require highly developed interpersonal skills, but few interventions exist to aid designers in cultivating these skills. Other disciplines have turned to applied improvisation, an approach derived from improvisational theatre, to improve communication, collaboration and other dimensions of social-emotional learning. This research examines how an applied improvisation approach might be utilized to cultivate empathy in design facilitators. To answer this question, participatory action research was conducted with design facilitators, applied improvisation facilitators, and an instructional designer. Interviews with facilitators from both contexts resulted in a model of empathy, evidence in support of the applied improvisation approach, and perceived barriers to implementation of applied improvisation in the design context. A participatory design session with facilitators from both contexts explored the specific actions that contribute to empathic facilitation and generated conceptual prototypes of an empathic facilitation training program. Finally, primary and secondary research were synthesized to create a solution prototype that was evaluated by an instructional designer and submitted to design conferences for peer review. The outcome of this research is a conceptual framework for a training program entitled, Improv for Empathic Facilitation. The solution is founded upon an experiential learning model and scaffolds learners through developing skills in four competencies: self-awareness, social awareness, collaboration, and facilitating with empathy. In addition to applied improvisation-based training, learners engage in simulated facilitation scenarios in order to practice their skills. Finally, the program utilizes a series of formative assessments by engaging in critical reflection throughout and culminates in a summative assessment at the conclusion. Criteria for the assessments is learner-generated throughout the program, honoring both their experience and expertise. This research provides a model of how to explore the cultivation of interpersonal skills in design facilitators. Additionally, by presenting its potential impact on interpersonal skills rather than cognitive skills, this research highlights a new dimension of how the fields of design and improvisation might positively impact each other

State of IT Report 2018

This report highlighted the achievements of the US:IT division over the past year, including the many successes realized in empowering members of the University community with tools necessary for facilitating success. This report also provided an overview of the organization, the work they have been engaged in over the past 12 months and their future directions

Towards an\u2028 EU research and innovation policy agenda for nature-based solutions & re-naturing cities. Final report of the Horizon 2020 expert group on nature-based solutions and re-naturing cities.

1. Nature-based solutions harness the power and sophistication of nature to turn environmental, social and economic challenges into innovation opportunities. They can address a variety of societal challenges in sustainable ways, with the potential to contribute to green growth, 'future-proofing' society, fostering citizen well-being, providing business opportunities and positioning Europe as a leader in world markets. \u2028 2. Nature-based solutions are actions which are inspired by, supported by or copied from nature. They have tremendous potential to be energy and resource-efficient and resilient to change, but to be successful they must be adapted to local conditions. \u2028 3. Many nature-based solutions result in multiple co-benefits for health, the economy, society and the environment, and thus they can represent more efficient and cost-effective solutions than more traditional approaches. \u2028 4. An EU Research & Innovation (R&I) agenda on nature-based solutions will enable Europe to become a world leader both in R&I and in the growing market for nature-based solutions. For this, the evidence base for the effectiveness of nature-based solutions needs to be developed and then used to implement solutions. Both need to be done in conjunction with stakeholders. The potential for transferability and upscaling of solutions also requires further investigation. There is also a need to develop a systemic approach that combines technical, business, finance, governance, regulatory and social innovation. \u2028 5. Four principal goals have been identified that can be addressed by nature-based solutions: �� Enhancing sustainable urbanisation through nature-based solutions can stimulate economic growth as well as improving the environment, making cities more attractive, and enhancing human well-being. \u2028 �� Restoring degraded ecosystems using nature-based solutions can improve the resilience of ecosystems, enabling them to deliver vital ecosystem services and also to meet other societal challenges. \u2028 �� Developing climate change adaptation and mitigation using nature-based solutions can provide more resilient responses and enhance the storage of carbon. \u2028 �� Improving risk management and resilience using nature-based solutions can lead to greater benefits than conventional methods and offer synergies in reducing multiple risks. \u2028 6. Based on the four goals, seven nature-based solutions for R&I actions are recommended to be taken forward by the European Commission and Member States: �� Urban regeneration through nature-based solutions \u2028 �� Nature-based solutions for improving well-being in urban areas \u2028 �� Establishing nature-based solutions for coastal resilience \u2028 �� Multi-functional nature-based watershed management and ecosystem restoration \u2028 �� Nature-based solutions for increasing the sustainability of the use of matter and energy \u2028 �� Nature-based solutions for enhancing the insurance value of ecosystems \u2028 �� Increasing carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions \u2028This report was produced by the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re- Naturing Cities', informed by the findings of an e-consultation and a stakeholder workshop. \u202