Boulevard Future

Never has technology shaped our society more than in present days. The disruptive innovations (leap innovations) that occur are significantly involved in this development. The term “disruptive innovation” describes successful leaps in the development of technology. The characteristic of disruption results from the use of new findings from basic research, which allow technical solutions to be thought of in a completely new way or even completely new technology to be developed. One example of such a disruptive innovation is the internet, which enables us to access knowledge anywhere in the world through the use of smartphones and other devices. These technologies can topple dictators (Arab Spring), but they can also create the ’transperent human’.

Such unpredictable leap innovations no longer seem to be the exception – but rather seem to be occurring more frequently in recent times. Two different development paths can be identified: the leap innovation arises from new research findings or it arises from a need situation, justified by the disadvantages of existing technologies in the search for a new solution using new scientific findings. In spite of the great diversity of various leap innovations, a common feature emerges: each of these leap innovations is based on new findings from research and in many ways, this research always began at universities.

It is the objective of this lecture to think about this cosmos of research, development and innovation together with its growing consequences for mankind. On the basis of selected examples of significant leap innovations, the path from the underlying research efforts to the technological developments required for realization to application and the associated changes in our living conditions will be considered in an interdisciplinary manner. The following guiding questions will be discussed:

• What does this leap innovation mean for the users (individually / collectively)?
• What contribution does the underlying research make to society and what image of society is guiding the research?
• What efforts in development and production are required to turn the idea of a leap innovation into reality?
• What are the expected side effects of the leap innovation and are these predictable at all?
• If this leap innovation becomes real, what “next society” will it produce?

Each of the leap innovations considered in each case will be addressed in a lecture from two perspectives: The efforts in research and development will be examined in more detail to get an impression of the feasibility and the associated time horizon. Furthermore, the expected effects on individuals, society and the environment will be analyzed and discussed. The series of events consists of four thematic blocks and is supplemented by an introductory event, a 2nd introductory event, in which the example of the generation of electrical energy is used to illustrate the innovation process over a longer period and a final lecture. The introductory event serves to introduce the series and assigns work packages to the student participants for the development of questions and for the documentation of the lecture.