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2011 EDISON AWARDS FINALISTS ARE ANNOUNCED
Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Company and John Hendricks of Discovery Communications
Also to be Honored at Edison Awards Gala on April 5
Chicago, IL (February 3, 2011) – Finalists for the internationally-known 2011 Edison Best New Product Awards™ were announced today, just a week before the 164th birthday of renowned American inventor and innovator Thomas Alva Edison. The awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, inspiring America’s drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.
“This year’s Awards recognize a broad array of innovations including far-reaching products, services and technologies that impact daily life,” said Edison Awards Steering Committee chair Sarah Miller Caldicott, a great grandniece of Thomas Edison. “The Awards applaud the forward-thinking innovations for which Thomas Edison remains internationally admired. It’s exciting to see so many companies continuing his legacy of challenging conventional thinking.”
The ballot of nominees for the Edison Best New Product Awards™ is judged by roughly 2,000 members of the not-for-profit Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), an organization comprising America’s top marketing professionals and academics. In a comprehensive peer-review process the nominees are judged on Marketplace Innovation, Marketplace Success, Technological Innovation, Market Structure Innovation, Societal Impact and Design Innovation.
“Thomas Edison pioneered four industries that are crucial to modern life: electric lighting, electric power generation, recorded sound and motion pictures,” said Dr. Paul Israel, Director of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University and member of the Edison Awards Steering Committee. “Edison also made important contributions to a host of other industries, many of which are reflected in this year’s finalist pool.”
Winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be announced April 5, 2011 at the historic Capitale Ballroom in New York, one of the city’s premier function spaces. In addition to announcing this year’s Best New Product Award recipients, the evening will feature the presentation of the prestigious Edison Achievement Award to Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company, and to John Hendricks, Founder and Chairman of Discovery Communications. Both leaders have made significant and lasting contributions to innovation throughout their careers.
The Edison Awards Steering Committee is comprised of senior executives with diverse marketing, scientific and business backgrounds. The Steering Committee monitors the development and successful launch of innovative products each year and annually reviews all nominations for potential placement on the Edison Awards ballot. The Committee is also responsible for bestowing the annual Edison Achievement Awards.
A complete list of Edison Best New Product Award finalists by category follows:
APPLIED TECHNOLOGY
AirOPack Pressure Control Device by AirO-Lux AG
eCoupled by Fulton Innovation
Fisher Control Disc Rotary Valve by Emerson Process Management – Fisher
Ford Rear Inflatable Seat Belts by Ford Motor Company
Monax 3G Wireless Communication System by Lockheed Martin
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS – Consumer Drugs Segment
Children’s Accudial by Accudial Pharmaceuticals
Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief by Colgate-Palmolive
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS – Food Segment
Healthy Choice Steaming Entrees by ConAgra Foods
Marie Callender’s Bakes by ConAgra Foods
Starbucks Via Ready Brew by Starbucks Coffee Co.
Wrigley’s Extra Dessert Delights by Wm. J. Wrigley Co.
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS – Household Segment
Bobble by Move Collective LLC
Filtrete Water Station by 3M Company
Purex Crystals Complete Softener by Henkel
Shield Microbial Cleaner by the Tile Doctor
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS – Personal Care Segment
Cytomimic Technology: Neutrogena Clinical by Johnson & Johnson
Gillette Fusion Pro Glide by Gillette
Lotus Shield by Avon
EDISON GREEN AWARD
350.org
Johnson County Community College
Kaiser Permanente
Paint Shop at Volkswagen Plant in Chattanooga, TN
Preserve
ELECTRONICS & COMPUTERS – Handheld Devices Segment
HTC-EVO 4G by HTC
iPad by Apple Inc.
Kodak EasyShare M590 Digital Camera by Kodak
ELECTRONICS & COMPUTERS – Locational Technologies Segment
Hawk i Video Aiming Device by API Technologies Corp.
Kinect for Xbox 360 by Microsoft
Parrot AR.Drone by Parrot
ELECTRONICS & COMPUTERS – 3D Systems Segment
AQUOS Quattron 3D TV by Sharp Electronics Corp.
BRAVIA XBR-HX909 by Sony Electronics Corp.
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY – Lighting & Lighting Controls Segment
GE Energy Smart LED Bulb by GE Lighting
Lutron C·L Dimmer by Lutron Electronics Co.
Redwood Engine by Redwood Systems
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY – Packaging Segment
Kuredux Biodegradable Polymer by Kureha Corp.
PlantBottle Packaging by The Coca-Cola Company
Replenish by Replenish Co.
TerraSkin by Design & Source Productions Inc.
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY – Sustainable Power Systems Segment
SkyBuilt’s Mobile Power Station
SolarBridge AC Module System by Solar Bridge Technologies
VARTA Start-Stop by Johnson Controls
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Convertible Clamshell by HAVI Global Solutions
Linden Kitchen Faucet by Delta Faucet Co.
Master Lock 1500iD Speed Dial Lock by Master Lock
SOLON Compost System by BLANCO
Speed Concept by Trek Bicycle Corp.
INNOVATIVE SERVICES – Health, Wellness & Safety Segment
American Well Online Care by AmericanWell Inc.
MedApps System by MedApps Inc.
ZPass by Zonar Systems
INNOVATIVE SERVICES – Online Services & Apps Segment
GutCheck by GutCheck
inno360 by inno-360
Yowza!! by Yowza!!
LIFESTYLE & SOCIAL IMPACT
ARZU Studio Hope
CHEFS Culinary Training Program by Episcopal Community Services
Soyu Naturals Tea by Soyu Naturals
LIVING, WORKING & LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – Employee & Community Learning Spaces Segment
Emerson Innovation Center by Emerson Process Management-Fisher
The Keller Futures Center by Grand Rapids Community College
media:scape by Steelcase
LIVING, WORKING & LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – Employee Learning Systems Segment
Design Thinker: Experience Innovation by ExperiencePoint
Employee Engagement Spaces by Moxie Software
Motorola ES400 Enterprise Digital Assistant by Motorola
LIVING, WORKING & LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – Higher Education Systems Segment
CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) by Blue Valley School District
College Unbound by Big Picture Learning
MEDIA & VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS
Avatar Virtual Production Methodology by Lightstorm Entertainment
Logitech Alert 750i Master System by Logitech
Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910 by Logitech
Logitech TV Cam by Logitech
MobiTV Accelerated Media Platform by MobiTV Inc.
NEW RETAIL FRONTIERS
Coca-Cola Freestyle by The Coca-Cola Company
Disney Store by Disney
Nike Brand Experience Concept by Nike Inc.
SCIENCE & MEDICAL – Diagnostic Aids Segment
3M Integrated Cycler and Simplexa by 3M Company and Focus Diagnostics
picoSpin-45 NMR Spectrometer by picoSpin LLC
TAP Blood Access Technology by Seventh Sense Biosystems
SCIENCE & MEDICAL – Handheld or Miniaturized Devices Segment
NOMAD Pro Handheld XRay System by Aribex Inc.
Oto Lens Hearing Aid by Starkey Laboratories
Phrazer by GeaCom, Inc.
SCIENCE & MEDICAL – Surgical Aids Segment
MitraClip System by Abbott
Symplicity Catheter System by Ardian
Viper MIS Correction Set
SCIENCE & MEDICAL – Game Changers
There are also two Finalist in the Science & Medical Category in which forward-looking technologies were noted, each believed to have strong potential impact on future advances.
BIND Targeted Neoparticles by BIND Biosciences
First Synthetic Bacterial Cell by J. Craig Venter Institute
TRANSPORTATION – In-Car Driving Aids Segment
Ford SYNC AppLink by Ford Motor Company
GoGreen Auto Rally by GoGreen Auto Rally
MyFord Touch by Ford Motor Company
TRANSPORTATION – Personal Transportation Segment
Chevrolet Volt by Chevrolet
The Copenhagen Wheel by MIT – SENSEable City Lab
Nissan LEAF by Nissan Motor Co.
TRANSPORTATION – Remote Driving Aids Segment
MyKey by Ford Motor Company
OnStar MyLink by OnStar
The 2011 Edison Awards are sponsored by The Nielsen Company, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Spencer Trask and Bzz Agent. The Edison Awards are granted under the aegis of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University, a globally recognized research network dedicated to the study of innovation and its application in the 21st Century. For more information about the Edison Awards finalists, please visit www.edisonawards.com.
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