Innovation process
The driving force behind innovation is commitment combined with
a sincere desire to offer an alternative to what already exists. The
innovator is indeed the one who is able to dream of something
different, something better that goes beyond what is presently
understood.
Therefore, at the basis of the innovation process, we always find a
vision, which must then be translated into technical specifications
that satisfy the functioning expected of the product/system.
In particular, in the field of lighting, conceiving an innovative
product is an activity that involves several people from different
backgrounds, who may not necessarily be product technicians.
Several methods may guide the innovation process. The most
frequent is the ability to apply new technologies that are present
in the marketplace in a critical and creative way, which may not
derive from a single, specific field.
In other cases, the lighting market witnesses a process of
integration, taking more or less mature technologies from adjacent
sectors; specifically, this relates to Hardware and Software systems
derived from consumer electronics that later used as control and
management devices. In particular, as will be discussed in the next
paragraph, the main lines of research, developed thanks to relations
with international partners and innovators, have concerned Light
Intelligence solutions including Artemide App, Target Point, Geo
Li-Fi and Li-Fi.
A historic example for Artemide was the use of halogen sources
derived from the automotive world and of automatic wax buttons
readapted as early as 1972 in the Tizio lamp, nominated for the
Compasso d'Oro award in 1979 and winner of numerous other
international awards. It resulted in a lamp with a low-voltage
halogen source, no power supply wires and a metal structure
acting as a current conductor, which allows for considerable
freedom and perfect balancing, while using buttons as both
mechanical and electrical joints. The Tizio would later become one
of the world's best-selling lamps and, at the same time, a “cult”
object, demonstrating how that which is "innovative" reaffirms its
uniqueness over time.
The ideas that lead to the development of new products are also
developed by collaborating with external parties who help shed light
on new needs and opportunities; hence the value of collaborations
with leading architects and designers.
CNC 4-Axis Machine, Artemide prototyping lab
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