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A Conceptual Framework for Breakthrough Technologies

Part of: Design Methods and Tools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2019

Andreas Makoto Hein  and
Juliette Brun
Andreas Makoto Hein*
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Genie Industriel, CentraleSupélec, Université Paris-Saclay;
Juliette Brun
Affiliation:
UMR GMPA, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay
*
Contact: Hein, Andreas Makoto, CentraleSupelec, CentraleSupelec, France, [email protected]

Abstract

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Breakthrough technologies introduce a radically new capability or a drastic performance improvement. However, the existing engineering design literature does not specifically pay attention to them. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework for breakthrough technologies, aiming for a more detailed characterization of breakthrough technologies. First, based on a literature survey, we reflect on the relationship between breakthrough technology and innovation. In addition, we explore the relationship between breakthrough technologies at the component and system level. Next, we propose a conceptual framework with dimensions in which breakthroughs may occur and the corresponding expansion of concepts and knowledge, drawing from C-K theory. We subsequently apply the framework to the case of a laser sail-propelled interstellar probe. We conclude that the relationship between component and system-level breakthrough technologies requires further exploration. Furthermore, the coupling between the breakthrough technology and market breakthrough in the form of a new business model seems interesting for future work.

Keywords

TechnologySystems Engineering (SE)Design theoryBreakthrough technologyRadical innovation
Type
Article
Information
Proceedings of the Design Society: International Conference on Engineering Design , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , July 2019 , pp. 1333 - 1342
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019

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