5 innovations that will change the next 5 years

We often see lists of innovations that will define the next 10 years, but this list will stick to five years. For, the innovation cycle has been abbreviated considerably. What seemed innovative a decade ago is almost irrelevant today, and today's market-movers weren't even a twinkle in their inventors' eyes in 2003. Don't believe me? Here are a few things that didn't exist in January 2003 or weren't accessible to most global consumers: broadband, Facebook, HD TV, satellite radio, smartphones and YouTube.

Here are five ways that could change how we innovate in the next five years, ie, alter the process of insight-inspiration-design-development-implementation. 

MOOCs:Innovations are built on the bedrock of knowledge. MOOCs, or massive open online courses, allow free access to training from top universities and will increase our ability to innovate. Imagine a smart Indian youngster learning about digital signal processing from Paolo Prandoni of the illustrious Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Switzerland, and engaging in a post-class online discussion with astudent inGermany. With the local knowledge these youngsters bring, imagine the human signal-processing products they could develop. This scenario isn't a pipe-dream. Coursera runs that course, and there are 2.7 millions users worldwide already. And three Asians lead the big MOOC players: Coursera, edX and Khan Academy — Andrew Ng, Anant Agarwal and Salman Khan.

Super sensors: Sensors that detect human signals will help inventors understand consumer needs. Imagine an app that tests one's IQ based on the speed with which answers are given and also analyses one's positive or negative energy. Using face-recognition, pulse- and temperature-detection technology, the smartphone app takes note of your state of mind: whether you're interested or nervous when you see a question and directs you to tougher or easier questions. Wouldn't it be great to know if you are a natural genius or one who gets stressed as questions get tougher? Imagine what this technology can do on the shopping aisle, as you look at veggies. If you don't look keen, imagine a sign popping up to give you discounts and recipes so that you'll buy the carrots? Consumer-grade ECG/EEGs are already here. All we need is acompany that has the vision to put the systems together and into play.

3D printer:This will help inventors in rapid prototyping and let consumers access products just in time. 3D printers use an increasing number of materials, from plastic to stem cells, and allow developers to take concepts to prototype instantly. Soon, we will have users at home, "printing" out new shoes and clothes. Unfortunately, right now, the only product that is used for 3D printing is gun parts. Suppose innovators realise that the people using their app stumble time and again on the same phone keys. They can build an advanced keyboard and put it out on the app store. The app can be downloaded by users worldwide who then print the product. This one is a few years out, I admit, since the printers don't yet print circuits and plastics at the same time. But it's coming.

Wisdom of the community: Sites like Quirky.com evaluate, select and fund innovation production, based on the wisdom of the community. Thousands of people have submitted their ideas to be evaluated by Quirky, and participants can vote for the ones with the most potential.

Cloud computing: It is redefining the "company". End-users access cloudbased applications through a web browser or a mobile app while user data is stored on servers at a remote location. So, individuals or small organisations can now have professional management, financial systems and customer relations management that were hitherto the realm of large enterprises. In this new world, young innovators remain in their milieu, meet online, design a concept, make a prototype and produce a product. No supply chain managementissues, no billing conflicts. These innovations already exist or are just around the corner. They could democratise the process of innovation.

IITIANS

NEW DELHI: Google on Wednesday announced that Andy Rubin, who was heading the company's Android division, is stepping down. He will be replaced by SundarPichai, an IITian, who also heads Google's Chrome division. 

"Having exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Android-and with a really strong leadership team in place-Andy's decided it's time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google," Google CEO Larry Page said in a post on company's official blog. 

Andy Rubin is stepping down at a time when the adoption of Android is growing at a rapid pace. However, despite the numerical superiority — almost 69% smartphones in the world currently run on Android - the challenges for Google remain. Microsoft is pushing Windows Phone hard and BlackBerry has been able to create some buzz with BB10. Apple, meanwhile, is expected to unveil a new version of iOS software, which powersiPhones and iPads, this summer. 

"Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Sundar has a talent for creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to use-and he loves a big bet. Take Chrome, for example. In 2008, people asked whether the world really needed another browser. Today Chrome has hundreds of millions of happy users and is growing fast thanks to its speed, simplicity and security," Page Wrote. "So while Andy's a really hard act to follow, I know Sundar will do a tremendous job doubling down on Android as we work to push the ecosystem forward." 

Andy Rubin had joined Google when the search giant acquired his company called Android Inc in 2005. Since then he has been the guiding hand behind the OS and is considered a key person behind its success. In his blog post, Page said that Google has a global partnership with over 60 manufacturers for Android devices and more than 750 million devices powered by the operating system have been activated globally. 

Though it is not clear why Rubin is stepping down, there is possibility that Google may want to integrate Chrome OS, which powers its laptops, and Android in future so that the company can use a single operating system for computers as well as mobile devices. 

If it is indeed the case, it is similar to what Apple did last year. Apple, which competes withGoogle's Android with iOS, removed its start executive Scott Forstall, who was looking after the software that powers iPhone and iPad. In a press note the company said that move was aimed at achieving better integration between Apple products. 

"Craig Federighi will lead both iOS and OS X. Apple has the most advanced mobile and desktop operating systems, and this move brings together the OS teams to make it even easier to deliver the best technology and user experience innovations to both platforms," an Apple spokesperson said in the press note. 

Pichai, who has a BTech degree from IIT Kharagpur, joined Google in 2004. Apart from Pichai, Google has several other Indians in prominent positions. Most important of them are Amit Singhal, who looks after Google's search operations, Vic Gundotra, who takes care of Google+, the company's social networking website, and Nikesh Arora, the company's chief business officer.

G8 Going Indian Womens

NEW DELHI: Indian women may not have taken over corporate boardrooms yet but they are getting there. 

There has been a 60% increase in the number of Indian women testing their management acumen and sitting for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) since 2007. The number of women taking the exam increased from 4,863 in 2007 to 7,812 in 2012. Globally, 43% women took the exam in 2012 compared to 39% in 2008.

Significantly, after a dip in 2011, the GMATexam — accepted by around 5,400 graduate business and management programmes worldwide — has gained in popularity again in India. In 2011, 25,394 students took the exam which went up to 30,213 in 2012. India ranked third after the United States and China in the number of students opting for the exam. India accounted for 10.5% of those taking the exams globally in 2012.

The percentage of Indian women has correspondingly increased from 22.6% to 25.9% of test takers according to GMAC research based on testing year 2012.

Globally, the percentage of exams taken by women hit 43% in 2012 — a record for the third straight year. This is up from 39% in 2008. And unlike India, where they constitute one-fourth of the test takers, women made up the majority in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnamand Russia.

Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) data suggests that GMAT testing in the US picked up slightly in 2012 after falling from recessionary highs recorded in 2009. The percentage of US test takers sending their scores to US schools remains a world-leading 98%. The US remains the top score-sending destination, with 76% of score reports sent to the US.

With 58,196 exams taken in 2012, Chinese test takers are the second-largest citizenship group after the US and represent 20% of global testing. Indian citizens, the third-largest citizenship group, took 30,213 GMAT exams in 2012, and test takers are sending a higher percentage of scores to programmes in India, the UK, Singapore, France and Canada.

Not surprisingly, Europe has seen a dip in popularity. European citizens sat for 24,847 GMAT exams in 2012, up 26% from 2008, and they sent more than 60% of their scores to programmes in Europe, the highest level ever. Citizens of Germany, France, Russia, Italy and the UK together sat for more than half the region's exams in 2012.

True Sportsmanship

The 'GENTLEMEN' athlete

Proof that good hearts are around us. Iván Fernández Anaya gave away victory to help out Abel Mutai, the Kenyan athlete who won a Bronze medal in London Olympics.

The Spanish runner trailed Olympic bronze medallist Abel Mutai of Kenya during an event last December.

Mutai, who thought he had reached the finishing line and won the race, had actually stopped ten meters sooner than the actual end point. People in the crowd tried to tell him that it wasn’t the right place to halt but he couldn’t understand them because he doesn’t speak Spanish.

Ivan Fernandez Anaya, who could’ve easily taken advantage of the confusion, explained the Kenyan athlete the whole situation and pointed towards the original finishing line and helped his competitor win the race by doing ‘the right thing’.

“I didn’t deserve to win it,” Anaya, 24, told El Pais. “I did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn’t have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake.”

“All in all, he’s just a true athlete in every sense,” Jordan Armstrong of Hampton, Virginia wrote on Facebook. “Does the heart good.”

Haidie McGilbert of Sydney, Australia said: “Such a great story. He deserves a massive commendation.”

Anaya is garnering plenty of attention on Facebook and Twitter as well, with hundreds of followers as a result.

“We talked a little bit but we didn’t understand each other much,” the Spaniard told Catholic News Agency. “He thanked me for allowing him to win.”

The only person who wasn’t impressed was Anaya’s coach.

“The gesture has made him a better person, but not a better athlete,” Martin Fiz told El Pais. “He has wasted an occasion. Winning always makes you more of an athlete. You have to go out to win.”