advance knowledge, evolve society

ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE, EVOLVE SOCIETYAlfonso FuggettaCEFRIEL – ICT Institute Politecnico di MilanoKobe, June 29th, 2011

mercoledì 29 giugno 2011

WE NEED TO LOOK AHEAD AND IMPROVE OUR SOCIETY


ANY IMPROVEMENT DEPENDS ON KNOWLEDGE


KNOWLEDGE NEEDS TO BE CREATED, EVOLVED, AND EXPLOITED


A NEVER-ENDING PROCESSConcept!

Technology!Culture!

1. New concepts stimulate the creation of new technologies

2. New technologies have an impact on culture and habits

3. Changes in culture in habits stimulate the creation of new concepts and the evolution of existing ones


IT’S A COMPLEX PROCESS,WITH DIFFERENT PHASES AND FACETS

๏ R&D

๏ Research

๏ Innovation

๏ Technology Transfer

๏ ...


SOME KEY QUESTIONS

๏ What is our understanding of the phases and facets of the this process?

๏ What is the relation among R&D, Research, Innovation, and Technology Transfer?

๏ How can we improve the impact of this process on society?


There does not exist a category of science to which one can give the name applied science.

There are sciences and the applications of science, bound together as the fruit of the tree

which bears it.

LOUIS PASTEUR


Science and applications of science

Research and applications of research

Research and innovation

… so ...

Innovation is the application of research

LET’S GET TO THE BASICS


A STRATEGIC VIEWPOINT

‣ Research: Advancing Knowledge

‣ Innovation: Evolving Society

Research!

Innovation!


FROM RESEARCH TO INNOVATION


THE COMPLEXITY OF INNOVATION

Idea/intuition!

Invention!

Proof of concept!

Prototype!

Pre-series/Field trial!

Production!

Diffusion!

Impact and feedback!


RESEARCH VS INNOVATION

Research Innovation

Motivating factors

Approach

Perspective

Risk

Funding

Key abilities

Non-functional requirements

Intellectual challengeScientific standing and reputation

Market successImpact on the society

Specialization Cross-functional

Medium-long Short-medium

Intrinsic Systemic

Typically publicVisionary

Typically privateVenture

Scientific excellence Ability to deliverExecution

Only those needed to prove the idea

Tailored to users’ needs and expectations


INNOVATION DRIVERS

๏ New technologies (technology-driven)

๏ Users’ needs (solution-driven)

๏ Change of meaning(concept-driven or also design-driven)


‣ Direct access to knowledge

‣ Patents and Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs)

‣ Spin-offs and start-ups

‣ Brokering services

CONVENTIONAL VISION


Technology scouting

Knowledge sharing

Knowledge transfer by head

Knowledge transfer by project

Joint labs, shared labs

PROACTIVE AND INTERACTIVE APPROACHES


KEY FACTORS:ITERATION/INTERACTION/REPLANNING AND MULTIDISCIPLINARITY


What academia should do:• Identify technology directions• Create spin-offs/startups • Provide reusable knowledge• Understand opportunities and requirements for new

research activitiesWhat academia should not do:• Underestimate the complexity and peculiarity of

innovation• Mimic companies• Jeopardize research by getting more and more

directly involved into applications

In innovation ...

• Address challenging problems without compromise• Imagine the future• Explore the unknown• Create new competences

In research ...

THE ROLE OF ACADEMIA


CEFRIELAN INITIATIVE DRIVEN BY UNIVERSITIES, COMPANIES, AND PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATIONS TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT INNOVATION


CEFRIEL’s Shareholders: universities, companies, public administrations


๏ Multidisciplinary, professional teams

๏ Strong links with research

๏ Technology scouting

๏ Design, development and deployment, not just suggestions/ideas

๏ Ability to execute and deliver

THE CEFRIEL APPROACHUniversities IndustriesCEFRIEL

Low

Medium

High

Research Innovation Production and distribution


๏ Managed as a company๏ All revenues come from contracts๏ Profits are reinvested in the center๏ Strong focus on applying ICT to

non-ICT companies: pervasive ICT

๏ Customers: media, appliances, transportation, ...

KEY ELEMENTS OF CEFRIEL


SOME OF CEFRIEL’S PROJECTS AND CLIENTS



!  Sensors !  Activation controller !  Display !  Transceiver

!  Vest receiver !  Airbag cushion !  Gas generator !  Transceiver

Accelerometer


SOME CONCLUSIONS

๏ We need to deeply rethink our approach to knowledge creation and knowledge exploitation

๏ This is vital to advance our society and address the challenging issues it is facing


ありがとうございます。 [email protected]://www.cefriel.com


http://www.cefriel.com

http://www.cefriel.com

advance knowledge, evolve society

Technology

knowledge innovation

new research activities

knowledge needs

strategic viewpoint

head knowledge transfer

technology directions

knowledge patents

reusable knowledge