Special technology has always been the engine of technical and technological progress;

Usually it starts with them, and then a gradual adaptation of special technologies, and sometimes no changes, and for the most part with a high degree of transformation in different, unexpected areas

A good example here may serve as a planning and innovation processes in the technological departments of the U.S. Defense Department;

Take for example the issue of energy savings

U.S. Department of Defense has developed a plan to reduce spending on military power. It is stated on the website of the military department of the country.

According to U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the Office must reduce the cost of fuel not only for cost savings, but also to reduce dependence on foreign fuel suppliers.

According to information from the site of the Pentagon, the U.S. Army intends to acquire, by 2020, 16 units of type Net Zero, and 2030 - 25 such facilities. The concept of Net Zero means that the facility consumes less energy or water, or as much as he produces. Rubbish at such facilities shall be subject to revision.

U.S. Navy in 2020 aim to reduce fuel consumption by 15 percent. Air Force - to increase at the same time energy efficiency of aviation by 10 percent. Marine Corps 2025 plan and a half times increase energy efficiency in the fight. Thus, the daily consumption rate of decline for each Marine to 50 percent.

The main objectives of energy reform is to increase the energy in the immovable object of the armed forces, the introduction of alternative fuels, as well as the introduction of regulations to reduce energy dependency units.

According to the assistant defense minister, Sharon Burke (Sharon Burke), the U.S. has gradually implement plans for the energy efficiency of the armed forces. Thus, the troops in Afghanistan have successfully used solar panels, and the U.S. Army has purchased more fuel-efficient generators.

"Energy security is required. From it we depend for our economic prosperity and international interests," - said Panetta.

In total, over the next ten years, the Pentagon plans to cut military spending by 487 billion dollars.

It remains to ask a simple question, but how can it really solve?

On this subject, there were many publications, one of which is undoubtedly of practical interest:

... Are you sure one of you will never get Steve Jobs?

Do not be discouraged: the myth of a special "creative mind" - this is just a myth, says in his article in The Wall Street Journal, John Lehrer, American science journalist. The article is a reworked excerpts from his new book, "Imagine: How does creativity."

"Creativity - not a hereditary trait built into our genes, and not a divine gift, presented to the angels. Creativity - a skill. Anyone can learn to think creatively and to improve their skills are," - says the author, relying on him, at the latest research scientists.

That "10 recipes for creativity in haste," as Lehrer calls them:

1. Repaint the walls. In 2009, scientists have discovered by experiment: in a room with blue walls guinea solved twice, "Thinking of tasks" than in other settings. "Blue encourages associative thinking, and a calming effect," - says Lehrer. But the analytical problems better addressed in a red room, because the color red stimulates alertness and attention.

2. "nibble nose." Here are data from a study published in February: "Owl," who were forced to solve puzzles in the early morning, to deal with them much better than in the more favorable for a time.

3. Do not be afraid to dream with open eyes: as shown by tests, dreamy people are more creative.

4. Mentally go back to my childhood: the subjects who were asked to imagine themselves seven-year children, better cope with tests for divergent thinking - for example, on a mission to come up with ways to use the tires.

5. Laugh out loud after watching comic performances subjects solved more problems on the sharpness (that is, a 20% increase).

6. "Let the mind will carry you to distant lands." Researchers from Indiana found that if subjects were to say that the task was composed in Greece or California, they will cope with it much better than if they were told that the problem came up right here in the lab.

7. Choose the right expression. "One way to improve the ability to solve problems - to express terms of objectives in other words. When a specific verbs are used with a narrow meaning, people think narrowly. On the contrary, the use of verbs with broad values - to" move "instead of" go "- can greatly increase the number of solved problems" - the article says.

8. Do not use in rooms, cage homes. The researchers found: the results of a standard test for creativity, a lot better when the subject sits in an office cubicle is not an area of five square feet, and outside it. "Maybe the thinking unconsciously acted metaphor, idioms implicit in thinking outside the box [" thinking outside the box ", literally" thinking outside the box. "- Comm. Ed.].

9. Look at the world, "the scientist Adam Galinsky concluded that students who ever live abroad, far more often to cope with the classical problem of Thinking."

10. Move to a metropolis. "Physics of the Santa Fe Institute have discovered: the move from small town to town twice encourages inventors to patent an average of 15% of inventions" - the article says.

Lehrer also cites the example of the practical problem that was solved as if by instinct.

In 1974, engineer Arthur Fry acquainted with a new invention, Sheldon Silver - the adhesive is extremely weak action. Can you think of this useful application of the glue? All were perplexed.

Fry sang in the church choir and is usually put in the prayer book of paper instead of tabs. But paper often fell out, and Fry had to hurriedly flipping the book to find the right anthem.

And then one day it dawned on me: a piece of paper, coated with a weak adhesive, reusable will bookmark! "As a result, this revelation under the dome of the church led to one of the most popular office stationery - sticky paper for notes" - explains the author.

Modern scholars have also figured out which parts of the brain work when solving problems Thinking, "a few seconds before illumination dramatically revived the earlier upper gyrus of the temporal lobe," the head of a union with one another a little related information.

As mentioned above, the researchers found that certain factors increase the frequency of inspirations - "people are more susceptible to responses emanating from the above part of the brain." What are these factors?

For example, viewing humorous movies or alcohol (according to recent studies of scientists of the University of Illinois). And humor, alcohol and encourage us to relax, and relaxed people more receptive to the game of arbitrary associations that suggest the answer to difficult puzzles.

By the way, that's why a brilliant idea occurred to Archimedes in the bathtub, and physicist Richard Feynman was doing calculations, sitting in a strip club. "Creativity - a useful residue of time wasted" - said Einstein.

But Lehrer immediately warns that sometimes require different type of creativity, success is achieved when the blood and sweat, when you need to go through a lot of options until you get to a successful. "All the great artists and thinkers - great workers," - wrote Nietzsche.

But how to determine what type of creativity is required of you in this particular case? Is it better to help solve the problem - a mug of beer or a sleepless night on the job? Lehrer sure that the human mind by nature itself can choose the type of creative work.

It is also important to remember that creativity needs to be raw. "It's very valuable to increase the volume and variety of information with which you touch" - the author advises.

He refers to Steve Jobs' creativity - this is only the ability to combine different things. " With that borders the secret, which is the key to creative thinking - "the ability to look at the problem through the eyes of a beginner, give up all preconceived ideas, do not be afraid to fail."

In subsequent publications, it makes sense once or more to understand this phenomenon in the innovation process as a creative ...