I’m just gonna go right ahead and say the PaperCut crew has solved print management software. There, I said it.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m not being show-offy about our print management success: what I am doing is highlighting how problem-solvey your average PaperCutter is.
After a week of solving printing problems, I wanted to throw out a challenge to the team. So I asked them what else they’d like to solve through technology. Here’s their wishlist (with a couple of thought starter solutions thrown in for good measure).
Disease
Not surprisingly, solving disease is high on the list of problems our team would like to solve. And while it seems impossible, tech has already made important strides in helping doctors solve the previously insolvable.
IBM’s Watson for Oncology , for example, has proven to be an extraordinary asset in improving oncological diagnosis.
Meanwhile, Onduo is helping people living with type 2 diabetes to use technology to help control their disease beyond direct doctor care.
We were a little stymied on this topic. However, the general agreement that the model proven by the big data crunching power of Watson seems a promising path to tread.
Climate change
It’s no surprise that a software company on a mission to reduce paper waste employs a bunch of people who are concerned about the environment. Several PaperCutters offered climate change as their number one problem they’d love to solve through technology.
In fairness, solving the problem requires people to first acknowledge the problem. Is there a way for technology to help us with that?
Faster Than Light space travel
Ok, this is getting to be some list. Plenty of interest in travel such as trying to solve the tyranny of distance in Australia using the hyperloop (come on Richard, add Australia to your list, man). The majority of PaperCutters, however, want to solve FTL travel.
Nilesh reckons it’s all about the lasers but I’m not so sure. I read a lot of Craig Alanson and I’m pretty sure it’s wormholes.
Getting rid of receipts
Here’s something a little more manageable: finding a universal solution to ending paper receipts.
We had a quick brainstorm and think that it’s about creating a receipt account that you send everything to. For example, you pay for your groceries with your credit card or your phone, and at the same your receipt is sent to your personal receipt bank.
Hmm, that … that has legs. Don’t tell anyone about this one, ok?
Sending children to bed in a timely (and calm) fashion
So this one got a lot of attention. And some ideas for solving it through technology as well.
One thought is to slowly reduce technology as night arrives - ironic right? But bear with me…
What if our smart home slowly dimmed the lights and shut off non-essential technology as bedtime approaches?
- Your lights start dimming until they’re completely out at 8pm
- Devices switch off and stay off
- Heating cools
- A single light remains for reading bedtime stories (using an actual book)
It’s a return to the past using the technology of today!
What do you want to solve through technology? What have we missed from the list above? Let me know below.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This post came about as a challenge to our team to problem solve quickly. We started talking about this at 4:30pm and it’s now 6:03pm. We probably didn’t solve every _problem, but I’ve got a few new ideas for my kids’ bedtime tonight.<br>_
