Application of Systematic Innovation Trend Prediction Tools to the Design of Future Bearing and Lubrication Systems

The paper describes how an evolved and expanded version of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, TRIZ has been used to predict the future evolution of bearing and lubrication systems. The paper describes some of the predictable trends of technical system evolution uncovered after over 1500 person years of study of the global patent database, and how they have been applied to identify the untapped evolutionary potential of today's state of the art designs. The paper describes the directions predicted by the trends, the resulting benefits expected to be made available to users, and the research and development requirements that will need to put in place to make the benefits a practical reality.