一年四次,总部位于芝加哥的发明成员向诸如
波音
,,,,
摩托罗拉
, 和
耐克
一包20个带有“意外属性”的小动物。Although some customers incorporate them into products, that’s not the point, says cofounder Zachary Kaplan, 27. The idea is to inspire innovative thinking by giving inventors unusual technologies and suggesting various applications, labeled a “step,” “stretch,” or “leap,” depending on their feasibility. Companies pay $63,000 a year for the kits and training, and as much as $250,000 for two days of hands-on brainstorming and prototyping. Here’s a sampling from the latest DesignAid, along with Kaplan’s brainstorms.