Many airlines have implemented social distancing measures in their aircraft cabins in order to help prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV- 2 (Covid-19) virus on board. While existing cabin layouts can be worked around to achieve passenger separation, InnoCentive, a global innovation marketplace that aims to solve problems for cash awards of up to US$1 million, is inviting ideas for new Covid-safe cabin layouts. Unfortunately, in this case, the awards are up to US$500.
The challenge is to create an innovative layout design for commercial airplanes that mixes passengers and cargo in the cabin, with the cargo positioned as barriers between passengers to achieve social distancing.
That’s the extent of the brief, but there is some small print for applicants:
• Ideation Challenge submissions are typically about two written pages, and the setter of the challenge receives a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to use all submissions.
• Should InnoCentive find a third party interested in acquiring the details of any submission, InnoCentive will notify the solver and put the interested party in touch with them.
• None of InnoCentive PS Challenges will involve the transfer of IP as part of the Challenge process, meaning the solver retains those rights to develop the idea on their own. InnoCentive will retain the non-exclusive right to share the submissions with any party in an effort to address the crisis at hand.
• There is a guaranteed award. The award(s) will be paid to the best submission(s) as solely determined by the Seeker. The total payout will be up to US$500, with at least one award being no smaller than US$250.
• The Solvers are not required to transfer exclusive intellectual property rights to the Seeker. Rather, by submitting a proposal, the Solver grants to the Seeker a royalty-free, perpetual, and non-exclusive licence to use any information included in the proposal, including for promotional purposes.
• Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on 15 November, 2020. Late submissions will not be considered.
• Solvers should not reveal any confidential information in their submissions. Often the Ideation Challenge will be followed by one or more of the other three Challenge types to further develop the ideas and gain Intellectual Property protection when the concept has been well-defined.
Ideation Challenge solvers may:
- Submit ideas of their own
- Submit third-party information that they have the right to use and further the authority to convey that right and the right to use and develop derivative works to Seekers
- Submit information considered in the public domain without any limitations on useYou can apply HERE.
