As reported in a recent New York Times article, an inventor has developed remarkable innovations in fluid dynamics, which is the way fluids (that is, air and liquids) travel in a system. If widely adopted, these innovations are expected to provide revolutionary improvements in several industrial processes. To quickly summarize this technology, the inventor, Jay Harman, has used a technique called “biomimicry” to adopt (actually co-opt) a fundamental feature of the way fluids travel in nature which, when applied to one or more of the aircraft, air-conditioning, boating, pump and wind turbine industries, could allow these processes to be conducted to much more efficiently, and with less energy consumption. Notwithstanding the marked improvements seen with Mr. Harman’s technology, industry has not been enthusiastic in adopting it for use. The New York Times article is focused on the reality that innovations are often rejected by industry if they represent too large
Tag: blocking patents
