– by Mike Kehoe, researcher with the Xerox Innovation Group
Growing up, I was the “inquisitive type”, a kid who liked to take things apart and put them together to understand the science of them and see how they worked. (Sometimes even got them back together with no leftover parts – ok, we won’t talk about that carburetor from the VW bug!) I loved the idea of creating things, from technical Halloween costumes to gadgets for April Fool’s pranks. In my working life, I realized how much more could be accomplished in teams and the creative synergy they unleash. People working together is very much like how the parts that function together make up a gadget – the gadget is always more interesting than the parts.
So, it was not surprising I wound up as a research scientist inside the Xerox Innovation Group. For as long as I’ve been a part of the research community here collaboration has been central to the way we innovate. I love sharing my ideas with fellow scientists, collaborating with outside partners, and brainstorming with Xerox customers at “Dreaming with Customer” sessions.
It was a natural fit for me to be on the team that developed Open Xerox, our new technology portal that lets anyone explore the latest Xerox technologies, interact with scientists, and contribute feedback instantly.
Open Xerox is a virtual lab of sorts where anyone can take a few of our technologies for a spin, including a web publishing technology called TrailmemeSM and a simple wizard interface that helps you personalize photos called Simple Personalized Imaging.
I hope you’ll come play in our innovation sandbox by checking out Open Xerox. I know you’ll find it has applications to Real Business as well!
