Xylem’s Innovative Water Convention

The Xylem World Water Show’s entrance page…look at the virtual classroom that you can “walk” into on the right.

The connective power of the internet and more powerful tools like smartphones and computers are both increasing innovation in otherwise stale areas, as well as decreasing barriers to entry for players who previously couldn’t come to the playing field for a variety of reasons.

Xylem, Inc is a company I had scarcely heard about until recently when I came across their World-Wide Water Show, a virtual trade show and convention that you could attend from the comfort of your living room.  Access to an internet browser and a dial-up connection gave you access to a whole world of international technology, and speakers. Suddenly, third-world citizens have the same access to opportunity as those from the first-world.

The one-day show on Nov 29, 2012, meant that you could attend at ANY point in the world’s 24-hour cycle. Like any convention, there was a calendar and agenda for when things were being showcased at what times. You could “wander” into a conference room that had a live speaker who was being simulcast; there were moderated forums for chat during the speech and a space to ask questions. Or you could go to the trade floor and “meet” virtually with experts from sponsor companies who “displayed” their wares and answered any questions. Forums or “live chats” took the place of face-to-face interactions.

Xylem also worked hard to incorporate features that made you feel like you were in a conference room or trade floor, by looking at the screen and letting you play like you were in a “Second Life” style setting.

If you are interested, the content and features are still up for another 85 days. Highly recommend it!! Go hereregister and click on the “on demand” button.

I’ll be honest… even as a water engineer, it is a little boring, so I didn’t stay too long. But its still worth visiting to check out the idea in action, the platform and the overall design/user experience…it was extremely innovative and brilliantly done at a fraction of the cost of a real convention. Granted there was no face-to-face interaction…but this could easily lead to that through.

New York City’s Innovation Challenge: Remake Public Telephones

New York City is challenging the world to help update their payphone infrastructure. Have ideas?? (source: Reinvent PayPhones)

Public utilities are desperately in need of help. Its the biggest Tragedy of the Commons. Everyone uses them (generally), and they take immense amounts of capital to develop and maintain. With technology moving so rapidly, how do you update them when they get defunct? Or what do you do with the old pieces?

Well, New York City ain’t about to give up on their public telephones. In the fast-paced age of mobile phones, what do you do about existing public telephone infrastructure?? Unlike other cities, they are still being used. The huge daily influx of migrants and travelers coming through there, plus the economically challenged communities of NYC still use them. But is there something else that can be done to make them relevant to the majority??

So here’s the challenge:

Have ideas on how New York City can reinvent payphones to create a safer, healthier, more sustainable, accessible and informed city? Submit your prototype by February 18th and you could help to shape the City’s future.”

Wanna enter?? Go here!

I LOVE it when governments are innovative!