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Went down a rabbit hole looking for cross-industry innovations (AKA one industry borrowing from another).
Found some good ones
1/ James Dyson created the Dyson vacuum design after seeing how sawmills use cyclone force to eject sawdust.
Found some good ones
1/ James Dyson created the Dyson vacuum design after seeing how sawmills use cyclone force to eject sawdust.
2/ The OG example: Henry Ford's car assembly line borrowed innovations from 3 industries:
• Watch (interchangeable parts)
• Canning (continuous flow manufacturing)
• Meatpacking (Ford reversed the "disassembly" part of the meatpacking process - AKA chopping up cows)
• Watch (interchangeable parts)
• Canning (continuous flow manufacturing)
• Meatpacking (Ford reversed the "disassembly" part of the meatpacking process - AKA chopping up cows)
3/ Baby incubator
In late 1800s, French doctor Etienne Tarnier was looking for a solution to save babies born prematurely.
On a visit to the Paris zoo, he saw poultry incubators and borrowed that innovation to make a baby incubator.
In late 1800s, French doctor Etienne Tarnier was looking for a solution to save babies born prematurely.
On a visit to the Paris zoo, he saw poultry incubators and borrowed that innovation to make a baby incubator.
4/ Soda bottling plants
The rotary milking parlour was invented in the 1930s. It was the most efficient way to milk cows.
Soda bottling plants have a similar set up
(*I'm not actually sure the direction of the borrowing here...feel free to @ me).
The rotary milking parlour was invented in the 1930s. It was the most efficient way to milk cows.
Soda bottling plants have a similar set up
(*I'm not actually sure the direction of the borrowing here...feel free to @ me).
5/ 3M created a product that prevents post-surgery facial infections by consulting theatrical make-up artists.
6/ An escalator company borrowed techniques from the mining industry to install escalators in shopping malls.
7/ BMW created its iDrive system -- a way to safely manage your control panel (e.g., keep your eyes on the road) -- by borrowing from video game controllers.
8/ Owen Maclaren created the first foldable baby stroller (AKA lightweight baby buggy or pram) by borrowing the design of an airplane's landing gear.
As a former aeronautical engineer, he understood the mechanics of lightweight, collapsible structures.
As a former aeronautical engineer, he understood the mechanics of lightweight, collapsible structures.
9/ A hospital in the Netherlands (Amphia) improved operations and patient service by borrowing the airport control tower concept.
Specifically, Amphia has its own Hospital Control Center to route medical procedures.
Specifically, Amphia has its own Hospital Control Center to route medical procedures.
10/ This thread was inspired by the viral tweet from @emollick, detailing how an F1 race team helped a children's hospital re-work its post-surgery handoff procedure: https://twitter.com/emollick/status/1316782686619529219?s=20
11/ Another good "Borrowed Innovation"
After WWI, Kotex created disposable female sanitary napkins based on surgical field dressings used in battle.
(There was a post-war abundance of cellucotton, absorbent fibrous material created to make up for cotton shortfalls during WWI).
After WWI, Kotex created disposable female sanitary napkins based on surgical field dressings used in battle.
(There was a post-war abundance of cellucotton, absorbent fibrous material created to make up for cotton shortfalls during WWI).
12/ Pharma GSK borrowed innovations from McLaren racing team:
• Telemetry & sensor analysis used for race cars to monitor stroke victims
• Pit crew methods to improve handover of toothpaste production from Sensodyne to AcquaFresh
(h/t @adcobley) https://www.mclaren.com/group/case-studies/case-study-gsk/
• Telemetry & sensor analysis used for race cars to monitor stroke victims
• Pit crew methods to improve handover of toothpaste production from Sensodyne to AcquaFresh
(h/t @adcobley) https://www.mclaren.com/group/case-studies/case-study-gsk/
13/ This is cross-industry innovation is done within ONE company, NuCO2 (a carbonation company).
It uses bulk CO2 for:
• beverage carbonation
• balancing the pH levels of chlorinated water in pools
(h/t @JBSpoke)
Keep the examples coming people!
It uses bulk CO2 for:
• beverage carbonation
• balancing the pH levels of chlorinated water in pools
(h/t @JBSpoke)
Keep the examples coming people!
