Innovations that promote paperless living
Implications - Increasingly, the paperless office is becoming the goal of many organizations and has since extended to the day-to-day lives of the average consumer as well. To aid in this goal is the availability of electronic forms of information and communication, which range from digital business cards and touchscreen paper to erasable photocopiers. Considering, however, that the average American office worker prints abut 10,000 pages annually (according to GoPaperless.com), society still has a long way to go. Nonetheless, innovations that encourage paperless living will provide extreme benefit and appeals to eco-minded consumers; even if society never goes completely paperless, the use of less paper still counts toward a greener planet.
Trend Themes
1. Paperless Office - Innovations that discourage the use of paper in offices and in daily life will appeal to eco-minded consumers and provide disruptive innovation opportunities in digital billing, digital business cards, electronic drawings display, etc.
2. Erasable Technology - Inventions that can erase the contents of previously printed documents, such as Toshiba erasable toner copier or laser unprinter, offer eco-friendly solutions and cost-saving alternatives to replace traditional printing practices.
3. Digital Touchscreens - The adoption of digital touchscreens in creative ways, such as SoftSheet or Halo, provides opportunities for hands-on professionals to go digital and eliminate the need to carry binders of blueprints, while allowing builders, architects, and contractors to work in more flexible ways.
Industry Implications
1. Office Equipment and Services - Companies that focus on producing eco-friendly office equipment and time-saving solutions should take advantage of the trend toward paperless offices.
2. Consumer Electronics - The application of digital touchscreens has created an opportunity for innovative companies to develop products like electronic drawings display, SoftSheet, and Halo that offer new ways to work, promote creativity and productivity.
3. Environmental Solutions - Innovative technologies, such as Toshiba erasable toner copier or laser unprinter can provide cost-saving environmental solutions for printing services, leading to disruptive innovation opportunities within the printing and publishing industry.
