Perspectives on Innovation

Fred Davis is a winning Solver for the Challenge Probabilistic Modeling of Spending Habits.

I’m a computational biologist with a background in pharmacy and biophysics. I joined InnoCentive three years ago when a colleague mentioned the basic premise: money for good ideas. One of the favorite parts of my job is helping others solve their problems, so I thought it would be nice to have a financial reward accompany the mental challenge. I skimmed through the InnoCentive challenge bulletins for almost two years before I saw a problem that I decided to work on. It had the phrase ‘probabilistic modeling’ in the title, an approach that is extensively used in computational biology. It was one of the first challenge titles I could even understand! As I read the details of the challenge, it became clear that many of the concepts used to tackle biological problems would apply immediately to the challenge. It was lots of fun working against a deadline to develop an analytical solution that could really help someone make sense of their data.

I think the challenges present a great chance for scientists to look at areas beyond their own immediate interests. I was pleasantly surprised to see how directly the skills I’ve developed in particular narrow slices of academic science can be transferred to problems in completely different domains. Reading the challenges also introduces me to problems that I would otherwise not think of, and new tools that are useful for other problems. I’ve tried two challenges so far, one of which was successful. Even the proposal that was not awarded was still fun to work on and I learned some pretty interesting biology and chemistry. I look forward to helping out with other interesting challenges!

If you’re even vaguely interested in the concept behind InnoCentive, I highly recommend at least signing up for the bulletins – It’s just a matter of time before you come across a problem that you can solve!

Excerpted from Complexity Digest 2010.15 by Bruce Hannon

Does diversity always grow?, Nature

Excerpt: McShea and Brandon do not claim that their law represents a wholly new evolutionary principle, rather that it is a unifying one. The tendency for increasing diversity has been recognized previously in specific situations. For example, molecular geneticists know that, in the absence of selection, populations will diverge genetically as neutral mutations accumulate. And evolutionary biologists have noticed that tissues and organs that are not subject to selection, such as the eyes of cave-dwelling fish, often show more variation between individuals. The authors aim to encompass these various findings in a single theory that covers all of the fields in which the principle has been seen (…)

• Source: Does diversity always grow?, Samir Okasha, DOI: 10.1038/466318a, Nature 466, 318, 2010/07/15

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Greetings, InnoCentive Solvers—

Quick note to inform you that we’ve posted two new Emergency Response 2.0 Challenges around the Gulf Oil Spill disaster: Emergency Response 2.0: Oil Detection on Ocean Surfaces; and Emergency Response 2.0: Oil Collection in Gulf of Mexico.

Innovative solutions to these Challenges will help the organizers and crews clean the water and beaches in the short and medium terms.

For the Oil Detection on Ocean Surfaces Challenge we’re looking for new ways to improve the conventional imaging processes that are currently being deployed, i.e., satellite radar, visual, LIDAR, etc. We are also looking for ways to improve aerial tools aboard helicopters and aircrafts, and, to a lesser degree, surface spotting techniques.

For the Oil Collection in the Gulf of Mexico Challenge we’re looking for commercially available equipment, technology and ideas that would enable the rapid conversion of commercial vessels (e.g., fishing) into oil recovery units.

On the back-end, a board of advisers, currently being assembled, will review the submissions from both Challenges.

That said we also want to take advantage of the perspectives, skills, and talents in the InnoCentive network. In order to accomplish that, we have activated the discussion board within the project rooms.

Please take a look as soon as you can.

Best,

JD

Excerpted from Complexity Digest  2010.14 by Bruce Hannon

Language networks: Their structure, function, and evolution, Complexity

Abstract: Human language is the key evolutionary innovation that makes humans different from other species. And yet, the fabric of language is tangled and all levels of description (from semantics to syntax) involve multiple layers of complexity. Recent work indicates that the global traits displayed by such levels can be analyzed in terms of networks of connected words. Here, we review the state of the art on language webs and their potential relevance to cognitive science. The emergence of syntax through language acquisition is used as a case study to illustrate how the approach can shed light into relevant questions concerning language organization and its evolution.

• Source: Language networks: Their structure, function, and evolution, Ricard V. Solé, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Sergi Valverde, Luc Steels, DOI: 10.1002/cplx.20305, Complexity Volume 15 Issue 6, Pages 20 – 26, 2010/07

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The days and weeks pass, and oil continues to blast upwards from the bottom of the Gulf. And as time marches on, we continue to receive submissions from you about how to stop the gushing oil and protect the coastline. Because of the importance and magnitude of this disaster, and because we want to keep you apprised of various InnoCentive activity around this Challenge, we are glad to share during the coming weeks the details of several key solutions and ideas we’ve received from you. Today’s post is a summary of a submission by Renate Wortelboer.

Pipes–horizontal or vertical–from which oil leaks under enormous pressure, could be closed by using the strongest magnets available in several sizes.

A custom made, cone shaped strong magnet with a “collar” at its widest diameter to fit the pipe could withstand the pressure of the flowing oil. If this magnet is not strong enough to withstand the pressure, another magnet could be added on top of the cap, like halter weights.

Small crevices could be covered with a layer of small metal and magnets. The entire structure could then be sealed off with bitumen, cold asphalt, synthetic rubber or any other sealing material. To finish, the bedrock could be restored with stones.

Schematic cross-cut overview:

1. Pipe to be closed
2. Main magnet, first placed
3. Extra weights
4. Magnetic “wings” as long as possible
5. Layer of bits of metal & magnets
6. Layer of sealant
7. Layer of stones

Notes:

It could be investigated whether the wings should be attached later or be on the main magnet already. However, an on/off switch will be required for the wings if already attached.

Around the entire structure, to seal it properly, a thick layer of a mixed iron/steel/magnets could be used. When a layer of synthetic rubber, for example, reinforced with any metal is chosen, it would help if the underlying layer still has magnetic properties.

The main magnet could also be composed of magnetic cubes or balls, glued or attached to steel rods to create a cone shape. This might save time.

Resources for further reading:

Cold asphalt: http://www.coldasphalt.com/

Magnet supplier: http://www.supermagnete.nl/eng/index.php