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ATOA’s Demandnovation Services
On-Demand Innovation for Engineering Excellence
Necessity is the mother of innovation. History demonstrates that progress and prosperity have always been powered by innovation. Businesses that thrive are those that consistently innovate—those that differentiate themselves with superior products, novel processes, and breakthrough ideas. At ATOA, we believe that growth, competitiveness, and survival in the modern marketplace depend fundamentally on the level of innovation a business embraces. For us, innovation is not optional; it is a code of honor. We pledge to invent, innovate, and engineer for the benefit of society at large.
Our Research and Innovation Division invests upfront to anticipate and solve client challenges. Through rigorous application of science and engineering, we transform problems into opportunities and translate ideas into viable, market-ready solutions. ATOA offers both breakthrough products and process innovations under the umbrella of Engineering Innovation Services, delivered in ways that are practical, scalable, and commercially relevant.
Demandnovation – Innovation on Demand
At the core of our offering is Demandnovation, or on-demand innovation. This unique service model enables clients to request tailored Innovate product design and process solutions as per their specific needs. Unlike conventional consulting or R&D outsourcing, Demandnovation is structured to deliver innovation as an asset:
Patentable Technology Transfers – innovations codified and delivered as intellectual property.
IDL (Innovation Disclosure License) or Trade Secrets – exclusive, confidential know-how transferred for client advantage.
Custom Engineering Solutions – directly applicable, turnkey deliverables engineered for rapid deployment.
In essence, Demandnovation is about empowering organizations to innovate when they need it, as they need it, with measurable outcomes in terms of IP creation, technical leadership, and competitive differentiation.
Play Innovation – Engineering Through Play
ATOA embraces Play Innovation as one of our guiding philosophies. Every child, and indeed every grown-up child, instinctively loves to play. Play is not merely recreation—it is a state of mind where creativity, imagination, and problem-solving reach their peak. In engineering, this mindset is invaluable.
Through Play Innovation, we cultivate a playful, recursive problem-solving environment that keeps stress at bay and encourages novel perspectives. The outcome is not accidental—it is structured to repeatedly unlock fresh insights and generate high-quality solutions.
Recursive Boosting: Leveraging iterative “play loops” for deeper solutions.
Stress-free Engineering: Solving complex technical challenges without burnout.
Innovation Mindset: Constantly seeking new ways to approach problems.
Our Multiphysics CAE capabilities act as the bridge that translates playful creativity into real-world engineering breakthroughs. Scientific principles applied across multiple disciplines make innovation at ATOA systematic, repeatable, and scalable—what we call automatic innovation.
ATOA Engineering Demandnovation Solutions
Engineering is fundamentally about finding new ways to solve problems—transforming breakthrough ideas into practical products and processes that improve lives. At ATOA, we offer comprehensive engineering innovation solutions, covering both open innovation and proprietary innovation, powered by our expertise in MultiPhysics simulation and digital engineering.
Open Innovation
Open Innovation at ATOA promotes distributed, collaborative problem-solving. This model allows us to develop, publish, and share engineering ideas freely for wider application—particularly targeting individual innovators, start-ups, and MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises).
Community-Driven Growth: Engineering ideas are released for anyone to use, adapt, and multiply.
CAE-Mastered Concepts: All open ideas are backed by ATOA’s multiphysics simulation for scientific rigor.
Affordable Support: ATOA provides additional engineering services at nominal cost for turnkey realization.
In essence, Open Innovation is about democratizing access to engineering innovation while fostering broad participation in technology growth.
Proprietary Innovation
Proprietary Innovation at ATOA focuses on IP-protected, high-value solutions designed for organizations that demand exclusivity and competitive edge. These solutions are:
Protected by Patents, Trade Secrets, or Copyrights – ensuring client ownership and legal defensibility.
Targeted for Large Corporates – though adaptable to mid-sized companies and specialized players.
Turnkey & Market-Ready – innovations packaged for immediate commercial implementation.
Through Proprietary Innovation, clients can fast-track growth by licensing, purchasing, or partnering with ATOA to deploy innovations directly into their business operations.
From Invention to Innovation
The journey from invention to successful innovation is rarely straightforward. It demands persistence, feedback loops, cost-effective design adaptations, and continuous refinement. At ATOA, we embed innovation directly into our multiphysics engineering simulation services, ensuring that every stage—from ideation to product realization—is anchored in scientific and economic feasibility.
Persistent Follow-Up: Tracking innovation from idea to market.
Feedback Adaptation: Refining designs to meet technical and user expectations.
Cost Optimization: Balancing breakthrough performance with commercial viability.
We complement these with industry-specific training on innovation methods and intellectual property services offered through our trusted channel partners.
Why Choose ATOA for Demandnovation?
Innovation as a Service: Not just consulting, but a structured transfer of IP and engineering assets.
Multiphysics Expertise: Simulations across mechanics, fluids, thermal, EM, acoustics, optics, and bio domains.
Flexible Models: Open innovation for community growth; proprietary innovation for exclusivity.
Playful Creativity: Harnessing “play” to unlock the highest cognitive potential.
Proven IP Pathways: Deliverables designed for patenting, licensing, or trade-secret protection.
At ATOA, innovation is engineered, not improvised. Through Demandnovation, Play Innovation, and our multiphysics-driven engineering solutions, we help businesses, entrepreneurs, and industries thrive in a competitive and fast-evolving landscape.
We invite you to explore our portfolio of open and proprietary ideas, along with turnkey project and process solutions, at ei.atoa.com.
Together, let us engineer the future—on demand, with Demandnovation.
For specific engineering innovation requirements tailored to your product or process, contact us at: cae@atoa.com
Demandnovation Keywords
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Engineering Innovation Primer
(This section is brought to you by ATOA’s CSR initiative)
Engineering innovation serves as the driving force behind industry, propelling advancements that shape the modern world. In discussions about engineering innovation, the terms discovery, invention, and innovation are often used interchangeably, yet they have distinct meanings. Discovery involves uncovering or identifying something that already exists but was previously unknown or unperceived. For example, the law of gravity was a discovery—it described a natural phenomenon that had always existed but was not understood until Newton's insights.
Invention, on the other hand, refers to the creation of an idea for a product or process that has never been realized before. This includes the initial concept or prototype, such as Thomas Edison’s development of the light bulb in his laboratory. Innovation goes a step further; it involves implementing that idea into a practical, usable product or process. For instance, the deployment of Edison’s light bulb into homes marked a transformative innovation that changed everyday life.
For example, a patent represents an invention — a novel idea formally recognized. When that patented idea is developed into a working product that enhances customer experience, it becomes an innovation.
Consider the wheel: the original concept of the wheel is an invention. Applying the wheel to an automobile for transportation, or to a suitcase for easier mobility, is innovation. Refer the figure.
Creativity fuels discovery, invention, and innovation. While creativity is tied to imagination and the generation of novel ideas, innovation bridges the gap between imagination and reality. Invention often emphasizes the act of creating or envisioning something new, while innovation focuses on translating creative ideas into tangible products or services that have a meaningful impact.
In the above book, the focus is on engineering innovation—developing new products or services that bring real value and positively affect people's lives. By understanding the distinctions and connections between discovery, invention, and innovation, engineers can better harness creativity to drive meaningful advancements and address the challenges of tomorrow.
Why to Innovate?
Looking back at our evolutionary history, we see that innovation has been a cornerstone of human progress. Early Homo sapiens began this journey with the creation of stone tools, enabling them to evolve from primates into human beings. The advent of cooking further accelerated our development into intelligent beings by freeing time for our ancestors to explore, experiment, and innovate. From an evolutionary perspective, innovation was essential for survival.
Fast forward to the Industrial Revolution, and the transformative power of innovation becomes even more evident. From the printing press to steam engines, from light bulbs to jet engines, and now to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT, innovation has driven industrial growth and significantly improved human comfort and experience. The impact of engineering innovation is omnipresent, extending beyond traditional engineering fields into areas such as medicine, economics, finance, and even stock markets. Wherever you look, the influence of engineering innovation is undeniable.
The above books will guide you through the principles, technologies, and tools of engineering innovation, equipping you with the skills to drive your own breakthroughs. The engineering methodologies and tools presented here are not limited to a single domain but are broadly applicable across diverse fields, enabling you to innovate and succeed in any area of interest.
In today’s business environment, the demand for new products, processes, and services is relentless. Companies that maintain a steady pipeline of innovations thrive in the long term, while those that stagnate risk obsolescence. History has shown that businesses that render their own products outdated through innovative offerings excel, while others fade into irrelevance. In this competitive landscape, innovation is a proven pathway to business success.
On a personal level, your brain thrives on new challenges and stimuli. Engaging in mundane, repetitive tasks can dull the mind, leading to stagnation and potentially contributing to conditions like depression, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease in later years. Research in brain plasticity demonstrates that learning new skills at any age keeps the brain active, sharp, and adaptable. Innovation is not just a professional necessity but also a personal tool for mental vitality. Your brain has an extraordinary capacity to find new ways of doing things—if you ask it to innovate, it will deliver creative solutions. All you need to do is encourage this natural potential for innovation, just ask your brain.
Philosophically, change is the only constant. Everything is dynamic and impermanent, shifting and evolving whether we like it or not. By embracing this natural flow, we can guide change in positive directions, shaping a better, more sustainable future for ourselves and for humanity. Innovation is the method by which we can channel change constructively, creating new opportunities and solutions. Engineering innovation provides a systematic framework for making this happen.
Importantly, innovation is not a fixed trait encoded in our genes; it is a learned skill. Anyone can learn and cultivate the ability to innovate through practice, curiosity, and the right tools and methodologies. This book will show you how to develop this essential skill and apply it to drive meaningful, transformative change in your field and beyond.
What is Innovation?
Innovation, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is "the introduction of new things, ideas, or ways of doing something." The term originates from the Latin innovatio. At its core, innovation embodies the essence of creating something novel, introducing positive change, and finding faster, better, more efficient, and smarter ways of accomplishing tasks. Engineering innovation refers specifically to products or services that are demonstrably superior to their predecessors.
It is common for people to confuse innovation with invention, as the two concepts overlap semantically but differ significantly in meaning. As explained by Merriam-Webster, invention refers to any product of the imagination. In its technical sense, invention pertains to "a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experimentation," typically something that has not existed before.
Innovation, on the other hand, focuses on introducing new ideas or improving existing ones. For instance, the first telephone was an invention, while the cellular telephone could be considered either an invention or an innovation. The smartphone, however, is clearly an innovation—an evolution of prior technologies that introduced enhanced functionality and usability.
This book will guide you through the process of engineering innovation, transforming your ideas into real products that are not only new but also useful, feasible, viable, scalable, and sustainable. By understanding the distinction between invention and innovation, and applying the principles of engineering innovation, you will be equipped to create solutions that drive progress and make a meaningful impact.
How to Innovate?
Begin by asking yourself key questions: How can it be improved? How can it be made better? How can you innovate? Before diving in, ensure you have a strong grasp of the fundamentals. Start with basic calculations and straightforward problem-solving.
Conduct thorough research to verify that you are not reinventing the wheel. Utilize available tools, technology, and the expertise of others to enhance your approach. Then, integrate these elements to bring your ideas to fruition. The process is simpler than it seems when approached systematically.
In this book, we will explore advanced tools, technologies and methodologies designed to accelerate innovation and streamline your creative process for breakthrough innovation.
Types of innovation
Innovation can take many forms—Nano, Micro, Macro, and Breakthrough. While all types of innovation are vital, this book focuses specifically on breakthrough innovation. Above Figure shows innovation types and magnitude of change vs Profits or Benefits graph. Innovation can be categorized based on the magnitude of change it brings, offering a structured view of its impact. These categories include incremental, adjacent, disruptive, and breakthrough innovations, each reflecting a different scale of transformation. Incremental innovations, often termed "nano innovations," involve minor yet meaningful improvements. Adjacent innovations, or "micro innovations," extend capabilities moderately, while disruptive innovations, labelled "macro innovations," represent significant shifts. Finally, breakthrough innovations, known as "mega innovations," achieve transformative advancements that redefine possibilities.
To provide a clearer perspective on the quantum of change, incremental or nano innovations typically result in up to an 11% improvement in performance, efficiency, or features. Adjacent or micro innovations fall within the range of 12% to 30% enhancements. Disruptive or macro innovations drive progress further, achieving 31% to 100% improvements, while breakthrough or mega innovations exceed 100%, pushing boundaries beyond conventional limits.
The scale of innovation often depends on the context. In established industries, even small gains—such as a 1% improvement—can be considered innovative due to the challenges of optimizing mature systems. Conversely, in emerging industries or for new products, larger leaps are often necessary to qualify as innovations, reflecting the dynamic nature of progress across different fields.
Innovation can also be categorized by its application, such as product, process, or service innovations. Alternative classifications include business model innovations, technological innovations, and marketing innovations. These various forms of innovation highlight the diverse ways ideas can be implemented to create value.
The principles outlined in this book can be applied across all forms of innovation, empowering you to excel in any domain. However, our primary focus here is on breakthrough product innovations—those that deliver transformative value and redefine markets.
Examples of Engineering Innovation
Innovation has been a constant thread throughout human history, evident in countless examples from prehistoric times to the modern era. Its origins can be traced to early human societies, where fundamental challenges of survival and sustenance led to groundbreaking advancements.
Breakthrough innovations are not limited to engineering but occur across all areas of life. Even human intelligence itself is the product of evolutionary breakthroughs over millions of years. As Max Bennett details in his book A Brief History of Intelligence, five key breakthroughs shaped the development of human intelligence: the ability to steer, which emerged with the first bilaterians; reinforcement learning, introduced by the first vertebrates; mind simulation, developed by the first mammals; mentalizing, which arose with the first primates; and speaking, a hallmark of the first humans. These evolutionary leaps highlight the universal nature of breakthroughs, demonstrating that transformative innovation happens in every facet of life. The message is clear: innovation is everywhere, and you too can strive to create breakthroughs.
Historically, foundational innovations such as the creation of stone tools, mastery of fire, development of farming, and invention of irrigation systems laid the groundwork for engineering progress. As human societies evolved, pre-industrial revolution advancements like sailing, ironmaking, gunpowder, windmills, the mariner’s compass, papermaking, the printing press, and the establishment of newspapers provided a solid foundation for modern engineering. The industrial revolution then marked a major acceleration of innovation, with key developments including mechanized cotton spinning, steam engines, machine tools, electric generators and motors, the telegraph, the telephone, the internal combustion engine, and the automobile.
The momentum of innovation carried into the 20th century with transformative inventions such as airplanes, television, computers, and the internet. In the 21st century, we continue to see groundbreaking advancements, such as smartphones, 3D printing, drones, electric vehicles, and transformer architectures. These innovations demonstrate how engineering has propelled humanity to its current stage of development.
Above books explored tools and techniques that can take engineering innovation to uncharted territories, focusing on breakthrough innovation to redefine industries and create transformative change. To illustrate the different types of innovation, consider the following examples. Incremental innovation is seen in the iterative improvement of products, such as the progression from one smartphone model to the next or the refinement of automobile design and models, model ‘n’ to model ‘n+1’. Adjacent innovation involves extending existing ideas into related domains, as exemplified by the transition from smartphones to smartwatches or from ride-sharing services like Uber to food delivery services like Uber Eats. Disruptive innovation fundamentally changes how things are done, such as the shift from rental DVDs to online streaming, from incandescent lightbulbs to LEDs, or from landlines to mobile phones. Finally, breakthrough innovation transforms entire industries, as seen in the leap from post mail to email, from film cameras to digital cameras, or from traditional energy sources to direct solar power.
Examples of Breakthrough Innovation
We have examples of breakthroughs scattered throughout our history graph. Starting with the Middle Age, Wheel and progressing to modern Artificial Intelligence. As you will see, statements like "do not reinvent the wheel". However, you may have observed advancements in Wheel as well, such as tweel, magnetic wheel, wheeled suitcase, and so on.
We will start with three current examples to exemplify breakthrough innovation, refer figure. Post mail to email, Film camera to digital camera and full service to low-cost airlines. These are transformations that redefined entire industries, and its impact is evident in us.
Post Mail to Email: Email replaced traditional mail by enabling instant, low-cost global communication. It eliminated delays, physical handling, and postage, fundamentally changing how we connect. Impact: Innovators like Hotmail, Microsoft and Google gained massive global user bases. Traditional postal services saw declining volumes and had to reinvent their roles in logistics and e-commerce.
Film Camera to Digital Camera: Digital cameras removed the need for film and development, allowing instant image capture, storage, and sharing. This shift made photography faster, more accessible, and far more versatile. Impact: Companies like Canon and Sony led the digital wave, while Kodak—an early leader in film—struggled and eventually filed for bankruptcy after failing to pivot in time.
Full-Service to Low-Cost Airlines: Low-cost carriers disrupted the airline industry by stripping away non-essential services to offer affordable fares. They democratized air travel and forced legacy airlines to adapt. Impact: Innovators like Southwest, Ryanair, Air Deccan grew rapidly and reshaped customer expectations. Traditional airlines were forced to cut costs, launch their own budget brands, or lose market share.
The above books delves deeply into the methods required to achieve breakthrough innovations, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to venture beyond the limits of conventional thinking and to push the boundaries of what is possible.
Basic Innovation tools
Innovation is not an innate trait but a skill that can be cultivated and mastered. Numerous tools and methodologies are available to learn, refine, and apply innovative thinking. The author’s works, such as Play Innovation and Technology Innovation Management, provide an excellent foundation for understanding the principles of innovation.
Engineering innovation relies heavily on structured tools and techniques designed to optimize the development process and drive creative solutions. Tools such as Concurrent Engineering, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Design for X (DfX), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Simulation-Based Engineering, Value Engineering, Configuration Management, Total Quality Management (TQM), Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), Supplier Performance Scorecards, Lean Principles, brainstorming, and TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) are widely used across industries.
Concurrent Engineering emphasizes the parallelization of tasks and processes to streamline the product development lifecycle. By fostering seamless collaboration among cross-functional teams and integrating critical functions such as design and manufacturing early in the development process, this methodology reduces time-to-market, enhances product quality, and promotes efficiency.
QFD is a systematic approach to aligning product design with customer needs and expectations. It translates these requirements into specific engineering characteristics and quality metrics, ensuring that innovation efforts remain purposeful, customer-focused, and yield superior results.
DfX represents a suite of methodologies aimed at optimizing product design for factors such as manufacturability, serviceability, and sustainability. By addressing these considerations during the design phase, organizations can reduce costs, improve product reliability, and accelerate market entry, thereby achieving a competitive edge.
FMEA is a proactive technique for identifying and mitigating potential failure modes in products or processes. By analysing possible failures, their causes, and their effects, organizations can address risks preemptively, enhance product robustness, and strengthen their innovation efforts.
Simulation-based product development, a cornerstone of modern engineering practices, allows virtual prototyping and testing of products before physical development. By leveraging simulation, organizations can refine designs, optimize performance, and minimize development costs. This approach, known as Digital Engineering, fosters iterative innovation and continuous improvement in digital environment, making it a pivotal tool for advancing engineering innovation.
Alongside these tools, innovation methodologies like TRIZ amplify the creative and inventive aspects of problem-solving. TRIZ provides a structured framework for addressing complex technical challenges, enabling systematic breakthroughs. By applying TRIZ principles, innovators can overcome barriers, discover new opportunities, and cultivate a mindset for breakthrough innovation.
The core of TRIZ lies in its 40 inventive principles, which form a comprehensive toolkit for solving technical challenges and driving transformative change. Each principle encapsulates a unique facet of problem-solving, offering methods to overcome constraints, resolve contradictions, and unlock the full potential of technical systems.
When applied systematically, these principles distil complex problems into actionable innovation pathways. By embracing TRIZ and its structured methodology, individuals and organizations can foster a culture of inventive problem-solving, transcend conventional thinking, and catalyse breakthroughs that redefine industries. This systematic approach enables innovators to navigate the intricate challenges of technological advancement and achieve transformative outcomes.
Through the strategic use of these tools and methodologies, the process of innovation becomes not just achievable but repeatable, empowering individuals and organizations to continually push the boundaries of what is possible
Engineering innovation primer Summary
Engineering surrounds and enhances our lives, with innovation at its core. Engineering innovation is the bridge between imagination and real-world transformation, turning discoveries and inventions into impactful products, processes, and services. It has been the cornerstone of human progress—from stone tools to artificial intelligence—and remains essential for survival, growth, and competitiveness in today’s fast-changing world. Innovation is not innate but a learnable skill, fueled by creativity, structured tools, and systematic methodologies. By embracing innovation as both a professional necessity and a personal practice, engineers and organizations can harness change, unlock breakthroughs, and create sustainable value. Ultimately, innovation is the pathway to shaping a better future.
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