R&D is very long and tortuous process. When I was working in the HR team, I had recruited about 10 R&D experts for my company. But situations that was not expected occurred and experts always lacked. The success of R&D project is very uncertain. Although R&D succeed, it is totally different problem if the product would be profitable to the company.
The lobby of ORBITAL SYSTEMS
There are people who have been through this long and tortuous process. ORBITAL SYSTEMS located in Malmö, Sweden, developed water recycling shower system. The paid attention to the fact that water on shower accounted for about 4% of all used water in the world. Through detecting pollution level of water, recycling unpolluted water, and reheating cooled water, they could save 90% of water and 80% of energy.
It was very impressive that they showed 7~8 prototypes of component framework for detecting pollution level of water and recycling unpolluted water. The structure of component seemed to be simple, but researchers had tried to find out the optimal type for several years. And when they designed components, they made immediately prototype by using 3-D printer. It saves a huge amount of time, and I can feel that 3-D printer would lead a new industrial revolution.
The history of models
ORBITAL SYSTEMS have kept innovating their products, reducing price from SEK 70,000 to SEK 24,995, and expanding their employees from 3 to 56. I admire their entrepreneurship and higher level of vision, “Changing the way the world sees, uses, and lives with water – from unlimited commodity to precious resource.”
Team #17-8
