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iBi - May 2009
Peoria Robotics
A Conversation with Dr. Andy Chiou
Chiou is one of the co-founders of Peoria Robotics, a research group that is working on a system to provide more realistic simulations for the purpose of training medical professionals, with additional applications in other fields.
iBi Focus

Innovation

  • Publisher's Note
    We Are All Innovators
    by Jan Wright, Publisher
    “Leadership in innovation will unleash the productivity and economic growth that will underpin America’s prosperity.”
A Guide to the Innovators
The Companies at 801 West Main Street
When the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center opened its doors in 2007, central Illinois opened its arms to a new wave of high-tech companies looking to make their mark on the world.
Innovation Abounds in Heating and Cooling
by Amy Groh
Peoria’s EcoThermics Corporation is poised to make a quantum leap in the heating and cooling industry with its Eco2fficient Thermal Pump. Its technologies can make our homes and workplaces more comfortable, our energy bills more affordable, and our heating and cooling systems more environmentally friendly.
Dark Fiber Jumpstarting Innovation
by Joe Genzel and Jonathan Wright
It’s a classic story of entrepreneurial innovation—a business need, unaddressed by the marketplace, becomes an opportunity for the right person with the right vision. And that was the beginning of Darkstrand.
IPICO Sports
It’s All in the Timing
by Doug Hoepker
IPICO Sports is shaking up the world of sports technology, one runner at a time. The Peoria-based company uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to capture information at periodic intervals during races and relay it to participants, coaches, media and fans.
Field Research in Virtual Environments
by Jonathan Wright
Professor Beliveau is the Second Life avatar of Edward Lamoureux, PhD, associate professor with Bradley University’s multimedia program and co-director of Bradley’s New Media Center. As Professor Beliveau, Lamoureux teaches “Field Research in Virtual Worlds” to his multimedia students.
Now is the Time for Innovation
by Kyle Ham, Peoria NEXT
The successes Peoria NEXT has seen over the past seven years help to create a reputation for this region as a place where innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive, and the world is taking note of our work.
June
Science for the Taste Buds
by Amy Groh
Innovation is a term most often associated with science and technology, but as Josh Adams, owner and executive chef of June Restaurant in Peoria Heights, knows, it can apply equally to cuisine and the ways in which it is prepared.
Innovation Starts with a Relationship
by Kate O’Hara
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
The National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, known locally as the USDA Ag Lab, has a long history of technology contributions that have improved the quality of life globally.
Defining Small Business Innovation
by Steve King and Carolyn Ockels
Emergent Research
Small businesses are a growing driver of U.S. economic growth. They employ about half of private sector workers, create 60 to 80 percent of new private sector jobs, and generate more than $6 trillion in annual revenue.
InformMed
Innovation At the Point of Care
Designed by nurses, InformMed’s medication safety system is leading the way to solutions you can count on.
Eliminating Poverty in Africa Through Entrepreneurship
One nonprofit’s innovative approach to economic development is making an impact.
Energy Innovation from the Heartland
by Peter B. Johnsen
Biofuels Manufacturers of Illinois
Pennycress may change the way America produces renewable biodiesel fuel.
Intrapreneurship
Keeping the Entrepreneurial Fire Burning From Within
by Matt Smutz
Clifton Gunderson LLP
Entrepreneurs are sometimes born of companies that cannot or will not give an innovator the resources to explore and develop his or her new ideas.
Documentations and Deadlines
Avoiding Costly Issues in Protecting Innovation
by Robert C. Haldiman
Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP
Innovators typically think of patenting their products early on. Nevertheless, significant issues repeatedly arise for small, entrepreneurial companies and expanding midsized companies.
Innovation in Education and Opportunity
by Cindy Patterson
Economic Development Council for Central Illinois
In January of this year, classes in welding, heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration started at the newly accredited ICC South Campus.
Mastering Innovation: Roadmap to Sustainable Value Creation
by Jatin DeSai
The DeSai Group
To achieve sustainable growth, companies must do a better job at integrating product innovation with process and service innovation.
Enjoying the Reset
Use What You Already Have
by Amy Lambert
Heart Technologies, Inc.
Innovation…is hope. Innovation offers a momentum and energy that says we can be better—we can come back stronger.

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iBi Balance
For Entrepreneurs, By Entrepreneurs
While the Peoria area is full of networking opportunities for established businesses, it once lacked similar opportunities for those who venture out on their own.
Stories for the Child on the Go
When you travel, it’s not always convenient to bring along a large collection of your child’s favorite books.
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