Learning to Invent Inventing to Learn CSEMS Feb

Learning to Invent…. …. Inventing to Learn CSEMS Feb 11, 2004 CSEMS

Overview l l l 2 Learning to invent Inventing to learn Some examples from CS/CE On-the-fly inventing… An exercise (if time permits) Conclusion CSEMS

Learning to Invent What is “invention”? . . . l Any thing, process or idea… l …that is not generally and currently known… l …that can be made tangible… l …using reasonable skill and ingenuity… l …that is of use or value to society… l …and that you or someone else has discovered [1]. 3 CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Basic Approaches l Problem recognition and solution – l Flash of genius (“…and then magic happened”) – 4 Most common approach Occurs occasionally, sometimes after wrestling with a problem for some time then putting it aside. CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Problem Examples of problem recognition and solution: 1. Intermittent wind-shield wipers, Robert Kearns. 1. 2. Flip-top can (Ermal Frase) 1. 3. Patrons used small personal bags to shop, could carry (and buy) less at a time, requiring more trips. Von Neumann computer 1. 5 Burns when water flow varied Grocery shopping cart (Sylvan Goldman 1925). 1. 5. Cans hard to open, required separate tool. Thermostatic shower head (Alfred Moen) 1. 4. Slowest wiper speed was too fast, and slowing blade was annoying… Had to use separate means for describing instructions and data to a computer. CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Problem Recognition l Problem recognition or definition – – 1. 2. “You invent because something bothers you. ” – inventor Jacob Rabinow KISS – (Keep It Simple Stupid) 1. 6 Edison said that invention is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration. Of the 10% “inspiration”, 90% of that is defining the problem. [1] Some problems are obvious. “Improvement inventions” address these problems by improving a property of a prior invention. Try to simplify, eliminate parts, steps, etc. from an existing invention. CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Misconceptions “Everything that can be invented has been invented. ” – U. S. Patent Office Director, urging Pres. Mc. Kinley to abolish the office 1899. [2] l “I think there is a world market for about 5 computers. ” – Thomas J. Watson, IBM President (1956) [2] l Inventions create new problems – 7 Example: What problems are solved by the Internet? What problems has it created? CSEMS

Learning to Invent: So how? l l l l Be familiar with the domain of interest Start by asking questions—start broad, then be more specific. Problems: What are problems with…? ” Patterns: What are recurring patterns in…? ” Frequency: “How often does…? ” “Habits” or “standards”: “Why is this done…? ” A change in degree: What if this were. . . – l 8 Cheaper, faster, lighter, heavier, lower power, … ? Associating unlike concepts by analogy CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Thought exercises l Example of association: – 9 What does a programmable hammer look like? CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Thought exercises l What problems come with access to billions of pages of information on the Internet? – – – – l 10 Searching Organizing Condensing Quality Storage Speed. . . etc. What tool would I most like to have (related to use of the Internet) that is currently not available? CSEMS

Learning to Invent: Flash of Genius l l 11 Not a lot to say here—it happens sometimes. Examples: invention of cellophane (Jacques Brandenberger 1912), Velcro (1948 by Gerges de Mestral), Goodyear vulcanized rubber, etc. Often it may be reduced to the “identify problem and find solution” method, even though solution may meet problem “instantly”. CSEMS

Inventing to Learn l l l 12 “We learn most when we have to invent” – Piaget (Swiss phsychologist) Is there sometimes value in “re-inventing the wheel”? Learning anything involves either conscious or unconscious question-and-answer, or “tryit-fix-it” activity (“I wonder if…”). CSEMS

Inventing to learn: Thought exercises l Let’s consider the Von Neumann Computer – – – l What would you do to improve: – – 13 Control Unit ALU Primary Memory I/O Fetch, Decode, Execute Performance? Programmability? CSEMS

Examples from CS/CE l Human-Computer Interface (e. g. input devices) – – l Computer architecture – – – 14 Keypad idea Trackpoint ™ (IBM Corp. ) It’s about: performance, price, power, programming (or not)… Instructions/sec and Data access speed DSP Parallel processing CSEMS

On-the-fly Inventing…(or at least problem definition…) l I observe that: – – – l l l 15 Home builders in this area will sometimes build large homes for customers in other states (requires 1 to 3 years!). Communication during the building process is by phone and email. Some customers have valued having video-taped progress reports mailed to them. Is there a problem or need? What is it? How might it be addressed? What are ramifications of this idea? CSEMS

Class exercise Rules: l You get 1 sheet paper, approx. 18” of tape, and scissors. l Highest structure (after 10 minutes) wins l Must be free-standing (cannot be taped to surface) l Must stand for at least 1 minute without “user intervention”. 16 CSEMS

Conclusion Go out and solve a problem—invent something! 17 CSEMS

References [1] D. Pressman, Patent It Yourself, 9 th edition, Nolo, 2002 [2] W. Coffey, 303 of the World’s Worst Predictions 18 CSEMS