Hmmm… R&D is getting boring, specially when the R is just for decoration… And not only because R is more interesting, but also because there is in my opinion more added value. Developing a product is extremely important and challenging, but sometimes I wonder if we could outsource that too -but that’s another war.
Or even better, let the customers do the D, that’s World 2.0… That’s it, focus on research and business, only. It is about profitable research, it is about R&B…
What do you think?
Fab, the visionary book of Neil Gershenfeld, describes the principles of Personal Fabrication. Among many other interesting thoughts, he points out that in the future people will be able to fabricate their own products.
There are many supporting examples: Printers used to be big expensive machines. Today, you have a printer at your desk which prints whatever you need. Computers used to be big expensive machines. Most authorized voices claimed that there was no interest for individuals to have a computer – less than 30 years ago. Today, who hasn’t got a computer? Manufacturing lines are big expensive machines. Today, wouldn’t you say that we will be able to build objects ourselves? That is Neil’s vision, which I think it is great.
Fab labs are set-up to implement the fab concept. Basically, they give tools to students to build their own products. Check out one of their outputs, the screambody:
As you can see, world 2.0 is at the next corner!
