Killer Innovations with Phil McKinney (Past Guests)
Step into the world of relentless creativity with the Killer Innovations Podcast, hosted by Phil McKinney. Since 2005, it has carved its niche in history as the longest-running podcast. Join the community of innovators, designers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are constantly pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. Discover the power of thinking differently and taking risks to achieve success. The podcast covers a wide range of topics, including innovation, technology, business, leadership, creativity, design, and more. Every episode is not just talk; it's about taking action and implementing strategies that can help you become a successful innovator. Each episode provides practical tips, real-life examples, and thought-provoking insights that will challenge your thinking and inspire you to unleash your creativity. The podcast archive: KillerInnovations.com About Phil McKinney: Phil McKinney, CTO of HP (ret) and CEO of CableLabs, has been credited with forming and leading multiple teams that FastCompany and BusinessWeek list as one of the “50 Most Innovative”. His recognition includes Vanity Fair naming him “The Innovation Guru,” MSNBC and Fox Business calling him "The Gadget Guy," and the San Jose Mercury News dubbing him the "chief seer."

Apply technology designed for one use to a whole new product. Then expect the unexpected. Tech that detects motion on bridges and other large structures is the backdrop.  Chief Operating Officer Nadia Giuliani joins the show from CES 2019. She shares the latest product from Next Industries: Tactigon Skin.  It transforms the controller, creating motion and gesture control for a number of uses.

Monitoring in Milan

Next Industries is a startup located in Milan, Italy.  The company has been running for the past five years. Their first products focused on vibration detection and motion capture.  The use is structural monitoring to improve maintenance and decrease risks. As an R&D company, they sought new avenues for their expertise.  They decided to revolutionize the controller.

Revolutionary Controller

Next Industries has designed a new motion controller.  Tactigon Skin is a programmable controller. It allows hands-free gesture control for a range of electronics.  PC games, robots, computers, VR/AR, 3D printers, apps, and drones. Tactigon Skin is designed to fit like a glove with inner workings akin to a smartwatch.  It connects to Bluetooth, smartphone devices, and laptops. There is future potential for retail. With a final prototype, Next Industries is seeking funds to bring the product to market.  They are exploring crowdfunding options.

Solving Problems

Creating motion and gesture control in Tactigon Skin was a challenge.  The intricacies of the product demand constant problem-solving. Add to that the funding for the design phase.  Nadia and the team persevered through tech problems and financing the long period of development. Next Industries navigated through with success.  They have been in development for one year now. Nadia’s advice to others going through product development is to keep at it. You must persist to survive.

 

Ergonomic form factor is another problem the Next Industries design team faced.  Finding the right fit for all in creating motion and gesture control was even more difficult than the tech challenges.  The response at their CES demo has been positive.

Lessons Learned

Throughout this process, Nadia and her team have learned a few key tips that have helped them.

  • Be independent of outside investors.
  • Find good partners.
  • Wait for the right platform.

Creating motion and gesture control, Next Industries meets a demand for agility and ease of use.

To track what Next Industries is doing, visit https://www.thetactigon.com/ and http://www.nextind.eu/en/.  For the latest, check out their Twitter and Facebook accounts.


Five Minutes to New Ideas

Should we rely more on data or human insight?  The answer is both! This week on Five Minutes to New Ideas we explore applying human insight and skepticism to innovation.  How can you challenge yourself and your team to uncover an insight that is not obvious?

Direct download: Creating_Motion_and_Gesture_Control_with_Style.mp3
Category:Past Guests -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

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