Indigenous Developments

IDL delivers value through the creation of new products and service solutions. We conceive, create, innovate.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Creating an invention is an amazing achievement, but only if it works! Innovating an idea enables things to develop and progress into the future, not only once but often multiple times.

“There’s a way to do it better – find it.” Thomas A. Edison

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Many people get confused about the difference between ‘innovation’ and ‘invention’ – surely they are the same thing, aren’t they? There is, in fact, a subtle but very significant difference between the two things.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

... completely changed the look of the mobile phone as we knew it. Ideas like touchscreen technology, alarm clock, camera, GPS and even a torch all in one phone! It was an ‘innovative’ product, as opposed to a new ‘invention’.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Although this idea worked beautifully without damaging the books, it took 12 years in total before they were finally a hit in 1980. They now have estimated annual sales of $1billion...

#innovate #conceivecreateinnovate #indigenousdevelopments

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

We’re ending our #accidentalinnovations series on a high with the story of that modern day essential, the Post-it® note, which was invented by accident thanks to Spencer Silver and Arthur Fry.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Several years later, 3M chemical engineer, Art Fry, had a problem. In his spare time, he sang in a church choir, but he kept losing the page markers from his hymn book. He decided to try some of Silver’s adhesive directly on the paper bookmarks to stop them from falling out.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

... successfully pitched the idea of using it as a good packaging material to IBM to protect their new 1401 variable word length computer.

Bubble Wrap™ has now become a household name & around $400 million worth is sold annually!

#innovate #indigenousdevelopments

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

A very warm welcome to the penultimate week of our ‘Accidental Innovations’ series. This week is one of my personal favourites – Bubble Wrap™.

Back in 1957, two engineers, Al Fielding & Marc Chavannes, were trying to create a textured wallpaper.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

They sealed together 2 shower curtains so as to capture air bubbles between the layers to create texture. Unsurprisingly, this wallpaper did not sell well!

After many unsuccessful attempts at using their new creation, Frederick W.Bowers (a marketer at the manufacturer)...

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

"Urban legend has it that if you took all the Play-Doh Compound created since 1956 and put it through the Play-Doh FUN FACTORY playset, it would make a snake that would wrap around the world 300 times!"

#innovate #conceivecreateinnovate #indigenousdevelopments

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Week 3 of the ‘Accidental Innovations’ series brings you the fascinating story of how the popular children’s toy, Play-Doh™ came to be.

Cincinnati company, Kutol Products, founded in 1912, was well-known for its wallpaper cleaner.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

It was incredibly popular with the children and this popularity has only grown. Play-Doh™ is now produced in many different colours and has become a nationwide success.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

... & repelled water, oil & other liquids.
Sherman’s research into this event led to the development of Scotchguard™ in 1956.

#innovate #conceivecreateinnovate #indigenousdevelopments

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

Welcome to week 2 of ‘Accidental Innovations’ – this week…Scotchguard™.

70 years ago Patsy Sherman was hired as a research chemist at 3M, one of very few women in the field. Patsy & her assistant were working in the lab with fluorochemicals intended for jet hoses.

[Indigenous Developments @IndigenousDeve1]

They accidentally dropped a bottle of synthetic latex, made by Sherman, & it splashed onto the assistant’s shoe.
Both Patsy & her assistant were fascinated to discover that the substance did not change the appearance of the shoe, yet could not be washed away by any solvents...