IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2013 - 23

made with tape measures, vernier
gauges, etc. This is because they
Gumption
/Jugard
can be automatically converted into
three-dimensional digital computer
models through photogrammetry
software [12].
Many new tools are reducing the amount of education
New
Do-It-Yourself
New
required to be able to represent
Prosumers
Goods
Enterpreneurs
an idea for an original good as a
digital design. For example, digital pens enable rough sketches
to be drawn on paper and other
surfaces to be rapidly converted
Internet +
into digital computer models
Digital Tools
[13]. Also, many new CAD tools
and
have intuitive user interfaces,
Equipment
for example: Alibre, Blender,
Google SketchUp, Tinkercad
Fig. 1. Open prosperity.
[14]. Accordingly, lack of prior
skills in the use of CAD software is no longer a
to any location that a lorry can reach. This means that
significant barrier to product design.
anybody anywhere can make use of digitally-driven
The digitally-driven manufacture of components
manufacturing technologies to produce original proddirect from digital photographs, digital scans, and
ucts. This is very important in land-locked countries,
digital designs reduces dependency on education that
such as Burundi, where up to 75% of the cost of goods
has previously been required to be able to shape comcan arise from transportation [18].
ponents using traditional tooling, such as
As summarized in Fig. 1, combinsaws, lathes, and chisels. For example,
ing the Internet with easy-to-use digital
Throughout
computer numerically controlled (CNC)
technologies for design, manufacturing,
the world,
routers can be used for cutting, drillassembly, and sale of goods opens up
many millions
ing, and carving components into shape.
opportunities for increasing prosperAlso, additive manufacturing equipment
ity in two directions. First, people can
of people
can build up complex physical geomthemselves produce the goods that they
invent and
etries direct from digital computer-aided
need: i.e. they can become prosumpersevere
design files [15].
ers. Second, people can sell what they
their way
with regard to the assembly of manuproduce: i.e., become entrepreneurs. In
factured components, it is possible for
either case, the breaking down of finanthrough life
digitally driven manufacturing equipcial and educational barriers enables
by drawing
ment to produce one design in two difmany more people to create goods
upon their
ferent sizes from the same computer
themselves from their own original
gumption, or
file. This first offers the possibility of
ideas. This is very different from soproduction of a scale model for the purcalled open innovation where big name
"jugaad" as it
pose of learning how to put the compocalled in India. brand holders harvest the original ideas
nents together into the designed product.
of individuals through online communiSecond, full-sized components can then
ties and competitions. There, the brand
be produced for assembly into a completed product.
holders continue marketing, design, and production
Also, the components produced can have numbered
from centralized locations behind high financial
friction-fit/snap-fit joints [16]. Thus, the need for prior
and educational barriers [19].
education in assembly work is greatly reduced.
By contrast, the combination of the Internet with
The Internet plus digital technologies can facilitate
easy-to-use digital technologies for design, manufacthe invention and production of goods as large as buildturing, assembly, and sale of goods opens up opporings. Importantly, there no technological constraints to
tunities for anybody anywhere to profit directly from
the creation of goods that are original in design and that
their own gumption. This is boldness of enterprise,
are also consistent with local aesthetic preferences [17].
which combines resourcefulness to come up with
Moreover, digitally-driven manufacturing machines
new ideas with the determination to turn new ideas
can be housed within freight containers and transported
into new realities. Throughout history, humans have
IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

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