Encouraging Discovery and Innovation

Abstract

For the latter part of the 20th century, the United States was the global leader in discovery and innovation, allowing it (even with a well-paid workforce) to remain competitive commercially, to maintain defense superiority, and to serve as the world's leader in science and technology. The world has changed. The emergence of a potent combination of low-priced and highly talented, technically sophisticated workforces in countries like India and China challenges the ability of the United States to maintain its technological superiority. The negative trade balance with countries such as China, and the increasingly high scientific and technological productivity that studies are finding from countries such as China and India, are some indicators of the global technological superiority shift that is starting to emerge. To remain competitive, we need to accelerate our radical discovery and innovation. Large technical databases and algorithms to exploit the contents of these databases will enhance systematic identification and acceleration of radical discovery and innovation ([1][1]–[4][2]). These techniques all access large technical databases of multidisciplinary information for radical discovery and innovation. Unfortunately, these efforts are fragmented, not well coordinated, and not well funded. At the present pace, many years will be required before they come to fruition. A major opportunity is falling between the cracks. We need a Manhattan Project for radical discovery and innovation in the United States. This would be a coordinated, well-funded effort, with minimal bureaucratic overhead. The full infrastructure required for systematically accelerating discovery and innovation would be addressed, including people development, technique development, tool development, database development and access, and, especially, incentives for pursuing the interdisciplinary studies necessary for such radical discovery and innovation ([5][3]). Given the progress of the rest of the world on discovery and innovation, we need to start this project now to stay in the race. 1. [↵][4] 1. R. N. Kostoff , “Systematic acceleration of radical discovery and innovation in science and technology” (DTIC Technical Report Number ADA430720, Defense Technical Information Center, Fort Belvoir, VA, 2005) (available at [www.dtic.mil/][5]). 2. 1. D. R. Swanson, 2. N. R. Smalheiser , Artif. Intell. 91((no. 2)), 183 (1997). [OpenUrl][6][CrossRef][7][Web of Science][8] 3. See [www.innovationbp.com/pages/348061/][9]. 4. [↵][10] See [www.triz-journal.com/][11]. 5. [↵][12] 1. R. N. Kostoff , “Science and technology metrics” (DTIC Technical Report Number ADA432576, Defense Technical Information Center, Fort Belvoir, VA, 2005) (available at [www.dtic.mil/][5]). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-4 [3]: #ref-5 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: http://www.dtic.mil/ [6]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DArtif.%2BIntell.%26rft.volume%253D91%26rft.spage%253D183%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0004-3702%252897%252900008-8%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [7]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0004-3702(97)00008-8&link_type=DOI [8]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=A1997WY43100002&link_type=ISI [9]: http://www.innovationbp.com/pages/348061/ [10]: #xref-ref-4-1 View reference 4 in text [11]: http://www.triz-journal.com/ [12]: #xref-ref-5-1 View reference 5 in text