Psychological inertia of many types coupled with weak design thinking methods disable us to locate, identify and appreciate idle or free resources around us. A higher-level invention often exploits maximum of idling resources, subjectively and objectively, thus resulting in manufactured product (or process manufacturing a product) tagged with a high factor of Idealization, I. Based upon Function-Cost-Analysis methodology humbly derived from famous Value-Analysis system developed by great GE design engineer, Lawrence D. Miles, the paper attempts to give optimum weight-age to often neglected idle resources prevalent within system or outside system (environment) missed by our minds being submerged in complexities of design. Use of paradoxical, seemingly contradictory resources is particularly encouraged. Examples in which hot water fights fire superior to cold water, detonator saves miners from lightning fire, rarefied air - a known insulator acts as a lightning arrestor in protection of radio towers, and so on are stated. The final example, title of paper itself, is a mask developed or activated by corona virus itself (strong, free resource) or surrounding, accompanying weak resources such as air laden with droplets from sneezes or made heavy by carbon dioxide or moisture due to people around. It is an open-ended innovative problem with many directions for technological evolution ending up in elegant, cheap, future technical solutions.
Dr Saurabh Kwatra Resolve is currently Expert, Smart Growth Operational Program, Horizon 2020, National Centre for Research & Development in Poland, Warsaw & Technical Head of Trimmed Innovations, an engineering by design consultancy based in Baltic and India. His book titled ‘Trimming, Miniaturization & Ideality via Convolution technique of TRIZ, Springer Germany, 2012 is used in technical courses to identify a technical contradiction inherent in a problem and thereafter to relax or resolve it. He is also a Jury/Mentor for Government of India startup grant-schemes at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Udaipur Incubation Center, IIM Udaipur and Workshop Lead on NanoMachines at TechFest, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai since last 4 years. He is a 4th level TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving in English) expert and Advanced Level Certificate holder in Industrial Design from IIT Delhi & Hero Motors (sister concern of Hero-Honda earlier). He completed his PhD (Industrial Design), 2002 from Hero School of CAD/CAM and then DSc in Innovation Management from Nelson Mandela University in 2017. Among charity projects proudly executed by Trimmed Innovations include solar-sensor lights carefully installed at heritage Christ Church Kasauli, Kasauli, Himalayas, India & micro-vertical wind turbine at Xavier Institute of Engineering, Mahim, Mumbai.
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