A new spout incorporating a check valve will increase production of harvested maple sap and extend length of time sap flows. The check valve will prevent bacterially contaminated sap from flowing back into the tree.
By extending the length of harvest, this spout is said to help mitigate the effects of Global warming on the maple syrup industry.
Who can be against that?
The point is, this is a simple but elegant engineering solution to an underappreciated but vast problem. There are 50+ million taps in use.
Its just a check valve. Incorporated into a spout.
Or is it?
No, its practical engineering insight.
Abductive, not inductive nor deductive reasoning.
Makes you think "Now why didn't I think of that?"
Lesson for us here is "What other vast but simple area in our experience could use some abductive engineering thinking?"
Why aren't we working on it?
Abduction: If you can handle symbolic logic, this is a great link:
Menzies
otherwise try Wikipedia...
milo
Opportunity for Engineering Innovation
Re: Opportunity for Engineering Innovation
