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For The Other 90%

June 25th, 2007 at 5:30 pm | posted by John Ryan

“All of the people who design things in the world, spend all their time solving problems for the richest 10% of the world’s customers” Dr. Paul Polak, CEO International Development Enterprises (IDE)

This month the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum opens an exhibit showcasing inventors, entrepenuers, and innovators designing new and cost-effective solutions to problems facing the world’s poor. Titled “Design For The Other 90%” it highlights inventions that not only ensure people’s basic survival but gives them tools they can use to gain their own prosperity, for the long term benefit of their families and local communities. The New York Times Online has video about the exhibit and the Cooper-Hewitt website has a great interactive map that lets you discover technologies in use around the globe today.

The exhibit has six main areas of focus, shelter, health, water, education, energy, and transport, and the website features photos and descriptions of over 40 inventions. My favorite? The Q Drum. Why? In its execution, it underlines the main theme of this exhibition. A simple invention, yes, but if someone hadn’t taken the time to examine the problem and actually do something, design something, this “simple invention” would not be available for use today.

So, what’s your favorite invention? Take a look at the inventions online, comeback here, and post your favorite in the comments. And if you are in New York City and plan to go to the exhibit, let Virginia, who manages this blog, know; maybe we’ll ask you to write the next post.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2007 at 5:30 pm and is filed under The ONE Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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