How to Fly a Horse review: the man who brought us the internet of things presents a new way to look at genius

Kevin Ashton examines the process of creativity and says it’s about tenacity as much as talent“To create is as human as flying is to a bird. It is not something that only a rare few people do – it’s an instinct we all have,” Kevin Ashton says. And he should know. For in begetting the term “the internet of things”, the British technologist created not only a product, but a concept that is changing the way we live.It was a transformative notion born of a mundane necessity. In the late 1990s, Ashton was working for Procter & Gamble, bringing a new lipstick to market. But supermarket shelves earmarked for the product were frequently empty. The answer, he concluded, was to devise a way to remotely track the numbers of the cosmetic on display. Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - February 6, 2015 Category: Science Authors: Nicola Davis Tags: Computing and the net Books Culture Science Technology Source Type: news