This aspect of innovation had been a part of
our evolution process. Right from the beginning of mankind, human beings have
found out multiple uses for stone, trees and animal skin. Innovative minds keep
exploring new uses of existing products.
Plants are used for decorating homes and
offices. It is used as building material for making thatched roofs and cover
walls, some plants are used as broom. The hollow stems of some plants are used
as breathing stems to allow people to remain underwater. New window of
opportunities open up the more we innovate.
During the Second World War Americans were
exploring ways for inventing a substitute for rubber. James Wright, an employee
in General Electric, invented a strange gooey mass by adding boric acid to
silicon oil. It was considered completely useless since it could not serve any
practical purpose. Several companies initiated efforts to find a practical use
for the product. Everyone gave up. A toymaker called Peter Hodgson found it
interesting and put the product into a new use - making of toys, thus Silly
Putty was born. It became the most popular toys of all time. The invention
which seemed to be useless in the beginning is also used by astronauts to hold
pens and tools in their weightless environment.
During a visit to his family’s village near
Pune,India, Mr. Santosh Ostwal saw his grandfather walk a mile every midnight
to switch on the pump to ensure proper water supply in the farm. His deep
desire to help his grandfather kept him thinking while he was studying
engineering. After completing his engineering he worked out ways to find a
solution and has to go through a lot of struggle and poverty in his pursuit to
innovate. At last he came up with a solution which is saving water and helping
farmers avoid several tiring, dangerous long walks a day.
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