Disruptive Technology and Frugal Innovation

During the last 5 years, I’ve been surprised to see that large corporations and agencies are using embedXcode, and thus solutions based on the Wiring, Arduino and Energia frameworks. 

I just wondered: What is the rationale behind? I’ve searched for answers and found two: disruptive technology and frugal innovation.

Disruptive Technology

Disruptive technology is less about content than about usage and accessibility. 

• It lowers the entry barriers of complexity and makes technology affordable for new entrants. In doing so, it enables technology for new users and opens the doors to mass market. For example, the Wiring, Arduino and Energia frameworks offer a higher level of abstraction, with a simplified set of functions, perfect for new users. This higher level of abstraction, mostly based on objects, is not exclusive: underlying libraries and register-level functions are still exposed.
• The business model is innovative too. The hardware and software are open-source, and software is free: everyone can contribute. This entitles co-development and co-creation. For example, the contributed library Galaxia exposes the RTOS elements for Energia MT.
• Actually, each new feature and library contributed by the community increases the value for everyone. It is no longer the rule of diminishing returns, but of increasing returns. The larger the community, the higher the value network.

Contrary to Schumpeter's creative destruction, Christensen's disruptive technology
is not exclusive and opens new markets

Frugal Innovation

Frugal innovation, or « doing more with less », is a normal way for emerging countries and a necessity for developed countries.

• The first aspect is substantial cost reduction, mostly fast-track development and shortened time-to-market, thanks to the use of disruptive technologies. First used for fast prototyping, frugal innovation is expanding to finished products, as the prototypes are good enough for production and market.​
• A product developed through frugal innovation focuses on core functionalities, mainly the 20% of the features that makes 80% of the value for the user. This also reduces complexity, which eases maintenance and lowers costs.  ​
• For the 20% of the features, the core functionalities are optimised to achieved a high level of  performance. For example, libraries rely on industry-grade SDKs, and achieve the same ultra-low level of power consumption as their traditional alternatives.

The title says it all

Conclusion

I'm glad embedXcode actively contributes to those trends. ​The questions are now: Are hardware and software suppliers aware of those trends? Are they ready to complement their traditional offerings with lighter solutions?