Brainstorming has given university researchers and technology transfer manager’s insights into the possibilities for a new technology - and brought them closer to commercialising it.
Researchers at Oxford University were excited about their new Optical ID technology, which uses a combination of lasers and optics to transmit data in a secure and low cost way.
But to commercialise the technology and generate revenue, the team needed a clear idea of the business problem it could solve and how they could sell the technology to potential business partners, investors or licensees.
Finding the opportunity
The researchers worked with design mentor David Maddison as part of a pilot project by Isis Innovation (Oxford’s technology transfer office) and the Design Council to discover how design can help commercialise technology more quickly from a university environment.
Isis had already targeted niche applications but hadn’t yet done any licensing deals and weren’t sure about the best route to market. So the project focused on finding ‘killer applications’ that made best use of the technologies key attributes.
Maddison recommended a structured, one-day brainstorming session to generate ideas and focus effort. To make sure the problem was approached from different perspectives, the exercise involved a multi-disciplinary team including scientists, designers and business people. Including non-scientists helped shift the focus from the technology to markets and potential end-users.
The session was managed by Isis staff themselves, so they could run similar exercises in future. With help from Maddison they identified the participants, defined the objectives, and sourced stimulus materials. It started with a morning of divergent thinking that shared all ideas, no matter how unconventional they were. An afternoon of convergent thinking followed, taking the best ideas and interrogating them closely.
Maddison said: ‘The team responded well to the brainstorming technique and they were enthusiastic and open about trying something outside their comfort zone. The session was well run and generated a lot of exciting ideas. There is a lot of potential for this technology.’
Isis Head of Enterprise David Baghurst, who ran the session, said the main benefit of brainstorming was ‘the opportunity to access the very different mindsets around the table through a structured process.’
Crystallising ideas
The session generated ten application ideas which were illustrated visually through design sketches so they could be shared with colleagues and stakeholders. They included i-Shop, a device to relay information about key product ingredients, such as sugar content to shoppers with dietary requirements, and an electronic replacement for business cards, allowing conference delegates to swap personal information. The work also generated a better understanding of the technology’s USPs and how they relate to customers’ current and latent needs.
A follow-up session with Maddison and a smaller group of researchers looked in detail at the ideas, exploring how the applications could be delivered, what the design challenges would be and how products could be rolled out. It also focused on target sectors and more research questions that helped the Isis team develop a plan for future marketing.
Taking stock
The project showed design can help develop early stage technologies that don’t have clear applications and need more work before they’re ready to go to market.
The aim of the brainstorming was to identify new applications for the technology and that’s what we achieved. It’s rejuvenated our marketing efforts in the areas we’ve now decided to focus on.
The team have been negotiating with a potential licensee and have now closed a deal with Optical Antenna Solutions for the Optical ID technology. In addition to the financial outcomes the project also gave Isis new skills to use in future, says Churchman.
'Brainstorming is now a format we would feel comfortable using on any project. Technology transfer offices are usually very good at finding markets for their technology, but the ability to brainstorm properly and effectively means we are now better at it.’
Technology transfer offices – what are they?
Technology transfer is the process that develops practical applications for the results of scientific research. Many businesses and universities have technology transfer offices (TTOs) dedicated to identifying promising technologies and finding ways to commercialise them.
Their main tasks include negotiating and advising on intellectual property issues, facilitating spin-out companies and setting up licensing agreements.
RFID for beginners
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification.
It’s a technology that stores and receives data using tags or transponders and goes back to the mid-1940s, though complete systems were not developed until around 1960.
The tags consist of infrared circuits and antennae for receiving and transmitting signals.
The technology is currently used for security devices such as door access, for tracking everything from products and library books to people and animals, and for passports. It is also widely used for pre-paid public transport systems.
According to the Wireless World Research Forum a trillion wireless devices will be serving one billion people by 2020.
The UK is second only to the USA in adopting RFID, says IDTechEx an RFID research and consulting firm, largely because of the 7.2m Oyster cards currently in use on London Transport.
Maddison Design
Product designer David Maddison mentored the Optical ID team and helped them decide for themselves how working with a designer could best add value to their ideas and to their business's future potential.
Find out more about Maddison Design www.maddison.co.uk