POWERED BY UBM ELECTRONICS
We worry a lot about Moore’s Law running out of gas right about now. Now comes former AMD CEO Hector Ruiz with this piece on Harvard Business Review’s blog: “There, however, is a possible “off-ramp” to Moore’s Law that offers [...]
LOS ANGELES–So often, we get ahead of ourselves a consuming public, especially when it comes to technology innovation. Take power generation and smart-grid management. We know that electronics that drive enormous efficiency gains on the grid. After all, our smart [...]
By Malcolm Fuller, contributing writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. – You wake up in your chilly San Francisco apartment (or any chilly place for that matter), and your first instinct is not to crank up the thermostat several notches (too expensive!). [...]
By Brian Fuller We’ve written all lot about the quickening pace of innovation in automotive electronics design. And you’ll recall the centerpiece of the first part of the Drive for Innovation was an all-electric Chevy Volt, which took us around [...]
A tribute to innovation’s past
16 August 2011
DEARBORN, Mich.–We can’t do justice on a road trip about innovation without admiring the innovations of the past.
When we hit Maker Faire Detroit, we were delighted to realize it was located inside and outside of the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn. Ford assembled over the years a huge collection of iconic American technology (and next to the museum lies Greenfield Village, his homage to American communities in times past–really an amazing place if you ever have a chance to visit).
Since just before World War II, innovators have reversed a historic trend in design. That is, for more than 200 years, cultures invented things on a massive scale–factories, machines, railroad systems, dams, trains, airplanes, ships. You name it.
But the past 80 years or so have borne witness to innovation on a microscale, astonishing invention in tiny form factors (in some cases, like software, in ways you can’t even see).
Since we all stand on the shoulders of other generations, it’s good to stop and reflect on what our predecessors achieved centuries ago (and in one example at the end, see technology that’s stood the test of time):
Brian August 31, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Bob, thanks for the correction (arg!).
It’s an amazing place, one of the best few hours I’ve spent in the heat this summer!
Thanks for all your help this month!
Leave a Reply
*Required
-
HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000
The world’s most advanced storage platform has extended its midrange offerings, delivering effortless, efficient, bulletproof, and future proof storage to the entire midrange. Store all of your data on a single system that supports advanced features, such as storage federation and automated tiering, and which enables you to start small and grow without disruption.
-
Advantech RISC Computing Platforms
UBC-DS31 is powered by a Freescale ARM Cortex-A9 i.MX6 dual core processor, with 1GB DDR3 memory & 4GB flash onboard. It has 2D and 3D graphics built in, and supports dual displays with up to 1080p high resolution output on low power consumption.
Robert LaJeunesse August 18, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Brian,
FYI it’s not Deerfield but rather Greenfield Village. And it’s not just America’s past but some of American Innovation’s past. From New Jersey is Edison’s Laboratory and the boarding house he first illuminated. From Ohio the Wright Brother’s Home and their Bicycle shop. George Washington Carver’ tiny home. Firestone’s farmhouse. The H. J. Heinz building, from before the 57 varieties. A working Jacquard loom. A fabulous early 1900′s carousel. Model T’s and a steam train for transportation. Even an early baseball league. History, alive!
Bob
p.s. the Old Car Festival is Sept. 10 & 11, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. Some great old cars will be parading each day. See http://www.hfmgv.org/events/oldCarFestival.aspx