Innovation Rainmakers

Principle

12. Equipotentiality

a. Change the condition of work so that an object need not be raised or lowered

Principle Description: The Equipotentiality Principle involves three main concepts to be used singularly or incorporated together: 1) Create uniform potential throughout all points or aspects of a system or process to achieve a system benefit. 2) Create associations within the system to support equal potentials. 3) Establish associations and relationships so that they are contiguous and fully interconnected.

Hints on Usage: The main use of the Equipotentiality Principle is to conduct a process with minimum energy spent for auxiliary reasons. Focus on ways to equalize the potential (all points or aspects) throughout the process or system.

Also look for ways to create associations to support the uniform potential. These associations may be arbitrary or abstract in that there may not be any current or direct relationship within the system to the associated parameter.

And finally, find ways for those relationships intended to support the uniform potential to be contiguous and fully interconnected.

For example, if gravity is making a function difficult (potential is not uniform), look for ways to avoid “fighting gravity” by creating associations between the system’s function and the negative action of gravity. Do this by eliminating the need to raise or lower an object or part of an object (achieving contiguity by limiting position changes). In this case, a sphere may be the ideal equipotential shape as it can be easily moved or rolled in any direction without lifting or reorienting.

Eliminate undesirable actions (unequal potentials) altogether. Look to the environment, the structure or the system to supply what is needed.

Examples:

In rocket nozzles, turbulence (non-uniform flow and potential) causes severe losses in thrust. The bell mouth curve replaced the conical nozzle because it more effectively produced uniform flow by associating the geometry of the nozzle to the uniformity of the flow. The new system now inherently provides a contiguous flow.

Networks are designed to provide uniform information flow through distributed servers across the globe. The TCP/IP system is designed to provide uniform data packet flow to the first available server with the least workload thereby minimizing the resources and energy spent distributing the data.

A dictator uses strong-arm tactics to create uniform behavior in oppressed people. By creating a situation of psychological uniformity (through the presence of fear), a dictator can create an arbitrary association in the mind of his subjects that non-compliance equals their death.

Marketing organizations establish a continuous release of company news to the press. An interruption in this stream could signal company problems or lack of new products. Thus, marketing groups strive for a uniform image and flow of information to the press.

Organizations such as the Sierra Club or the Klu Klux Klan set organizational values (an association) that attempt to attract people of like mind (to create uniformity). A new strategy of some groups is to encourage members to join groups they wish to undermine in order to destroy the uniformity of the group and thus destroy the group.