62 Technology: Engineering Our World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Can packaging be made less wasteful and less damaging to the environment? Can mass-produced clothing be made to be biodegradable? Can reading a set of instructions be made less confusing (Figure 3-33)? There is almost no limit to the range of problems that design can tackle. Invention is the creation of a product or service for the fi rst time. For example, Alexander Graham Bell wanted to use electricity to transmit sound. The result of his efforts was the invention of the telephone, which revolutionized communication. In 1993, Trevor Baylis invented the wind-up radio after learning that radio was the only means of communication and education for some people in Africa. Electricity or batteries were either not available or were too expensive. People needed a radio that did not rely on electricity (Figure 3-34). The bar code was invented after Bernard Silver heard a grocery store owner talking about fi nding an effi cient way to keep track of inventory. Innovation is a process in which a designer or inventor produces a better solution to a problem that is then sold in the marketplace. An invention (or better design for a product or service) does not become an innovation until it is produced and successfully marketed to end users. Innovation also happens when the design of a product is changed to take advantage of new materials, new technology, or new manufacturing processes. The innovation may involve making the invention safer or easier to use, more reliable when bought by thousands of consumers, or manufactured using materials and processes that cause the least harm to the environment. Very often an innovation creates a new group of consumers. Smartphones incorporated MP3 players into their design, making listening to music portable, ergonomically functional, and aesthetically pleasing. Antony and Richard Joseph designed the innovative spatula in Figure 3-35. It has an integrated tool rest that keeps the end from touching the work surface, thus reducing mess and improving hygiene. This is an example of incremental innovation. Deborah Adler, Adler Design (lead designer) Klaus Rosburg, Sonic Designs (industrial designer) Figure 3-33. The labels on these prescription bottles are easy to read. They are also color coded for each patient. How does this design help someone avoid taking the wrong medication? Freeplay Energy Ltd Figure 3-34. The Freeplay radio can be operated without electricity. Turning the hand crank powers the radio. Joseph Joseph Ltd. Figure 3-35. An innovative spatula.