Quarterly Newsletter: April 2005

Intangible Factors Influence Intangible Assets
There are a number of economic phenomena that are generally known as intangible factors or influences on the value of intangible assets. Some better known factors or influences include market share, lack of regulation, monopoly position, heritage or longevity, life-cycle status, breadth of appeal and high profitability. Although these items are generally related to goodwill as an intangible, they are also applicable to patents, trademarks, copyrights, know-how and trade secrets. According to one source, there are 24 categories of intangible factors and influences. Have you considered how these may impact the overall value of your Intangible assets?

Nanotechnology began where?
According to a New York Times article, medieval artisans unknowingly became nanotechnologists when they made red stained glass by mixing gold chloride into molten glass. This process created tiny gold spheres that absorbed and reflected sunlight in a way that produces a rich ruby color. Today, nano-particles of various sorts are already found in products like sunscreen, paint and inkjet paper.

The true genius level X 2
According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, 2005 is the "World Year of Physics" honoring Albert Einstein. Although he couldn't get a job teaching science at a local high school, Albert Einstein began formulating ideas that would literally shake the foundations of physics. By the time he was 27 years old he had published papers showing the existence of atoms, that light behaved as a particle, and laid the groundwork for what would become the most famous equation in science. His explosion of genius occurred 100 years ago.

Isaac Newton had a very similar explosion of creativity and profound thought 250 years earlier. By the time he was 23 years old he had devised calculus, figured out gravity, mechanics and optics. This extraordinary period of his life is known as annus mirabilis, or miracle year.

Paying by fingerprint
A German supermarket chain is installing a biometric method of paying for groceries. In an attempt to keep up with our fast-paced lives, you can enter the store, pick out what you need and electronically scan each item. Once the total bill is presented you simply press your finger on the entry system and it automatically transfers those funds from your bank account to the grocery store. The company is confident that the system "cannot be abused!"

Are you sweating too much?
Just when airport lines are longer and slower than ever we will soon be scanned for pheromones emitted from our bodies. Called "hyper-spectral sensing", air travelers will be scanned for chemicals or pheromones secreted by the human body. The reason? The human body emits different pheromones according to our mental state such as stress, anxiety, agitation and anger. No matter how much perfume or cologne you use, you simply cannot mask these identifiable markers of psychological states. The downside is lines at airports will get even slower. If you see someone pulled aside, does that mean they fit a profile or are they simply nervous about the presentation they will be giving later that day?

Patent muscle
Now that the world-wide market for LCD display technology has reached $40 Billion, companies such as Honeywell and Guardian Industries, according to Reuters, have now sued dozens of companies claiming that their intellectual property rights for liquid crystal displays used in notebook computers, TV's and cellular phones have been infringed.

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