Is the current generation of engineers short of ideas?

Replies

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  zaveri

  The world has advanced and come to such a stage, that whatever new people think of, it turns out that it has already been taken or done , a long time ago by somebody else.
  
  Nowadays the only ideas that people can think of are the fantastic far fetched ideas like for example "a car which can fold and fit into a pocket". Such ideas are innovative and creative, but are unfeasible and non-executable.
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  Kaustubh Katdare

  Doesn't it just mean that there are a 'ton' of things that can be 'improved'?
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  RISHABH LALA

  Yes , for sure there are a ton of things that needs improvement atleast in India, there is a great opportunity lurking in disguise . The present generation is not at all short of ideas but in search of a better and sustainable idea,although has a fear of execution - for whether the idea would be a success or a failure.
• 

  zaveri

  RISHABH LALA

  Yes , for sure there are a ton of things that needs improvement atleast in India, there is a great opportunity lurking in disguise . The present generation is not at all short of ideas but in search of a better and sustainable idea,although has a fear of execution - for whether the idea would be a success or a failure.

  rishabh has said it. the existing things can be improved but, the fear of failure always lurks in the mind.
  
  But then again it is regarding the "improvement of existing things", but nothing "new from the scratch altogether"
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  vinod1993

  In my opinion we are short of ideas because..! As generations go by, Mankind becomes lazier and lazier..! Perhaps, we are at the peek of laziness..!
  But, There's a condradict fact that Laziness is the creator of technology..! Both this contradict statements cancel..! But, actually the fact is that technology makes us even more lame("just think about this before shouting me out..! 😛")..! lamer and lamer our thoughts become..! It gets inherited to the next generation and so on and so forth..! Infact , i can even give a subtle hint that people with more ideas use technology the least..! (" you may argue with me that without technology there's nothing..! True..!(totally dependent,I agree)...! It is to be noted that Yesteryear scientists had had extremely high IQ's where now none can be compared to theirs")..! If you think i am wrong..1 pls correct me and give your views..! These are all purely my own opinions..!(So, naturally there are many loopholes..).
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  Kaustubh Katdare

  I've a completely different opinion. With the advancement of technology, we now have 10x more options to 'improve' and build on. The engineering projects don't ask for 'invention'. I think it's about 'innovation' - if you can improve something or fix a problem - then that could be an innovation.
• 

  CoMm0nMaN

  The_Big_K

  I've a completely different opinion. With the advancement of technology, we now have 10x more options to 'improve' and build on. The engineering projects don't ask for 'invention'. I think it's about 'innovation' - if you can improve something or fix a problem - then that could be an innovation.

  
  Actually problem starts here only... we only think about engineering projects or in any fix particular restricted mindset in which we think we should apply any idea...
  To build up any idea we should think how practically it can be applied with the help of every one.
  take this as example. Even in this site many engineers must be reading or following people in their respective field only. They got a particular mindset to work and solve queries of their own field. Because of this the sharing or exchange of ideas restricts to their own field. Lack of fundamental knowledge in other fields builds up a thinking that 'If we don't know anything about that why should we worry or This stuff is not related to me or This is not gonna make me some profit.'
  Many students also study to have a FAT SALARY job, not to acquire knowledge of the interest or in which they can work by heart.
  You can't expect idea to come from a satisfied person. 😐
• 

  Ekta Sharma

  Engineering students, nowadays,seem to have things like submission of assignments, projects,deadlines,clearing kts et al in their minds most of the time. For projects are normally bought rather than making it oneself. Assignments and exams have heavy emphasis on theory. When all this things get sorted out, one tends to relax by hanging out with friends, etc. The cycle goes on..
  The entire concept of engineering,thus, gets diluted.
  It then ends up becoming a good source of income and a sure-shot way to a corporate life.
  All the above elements have become synonym to engineering for most of the students now and of course they can't be blamed for it.
  And hence, Innovations go for a toss.😒
• 

  Ramani Aswath

  The_Big_K

  I've a completely different opinion. With the advancement of technology, we now have 10x more options to 'improve' and build on. The engineering projects don't ask for 'invention'. I think it's about 'innovation' - if you can improve something or fix a problem - then that could be an innovation.

  I am of that opinion too. Innovation is a way of life. It becomes automatic.An innovation need not mean a patent and millions in royalties. There are huge opportunities in improvement. Sometimes less is more. In the sense of throwing out unwanted technology and simplifying often improves things a lot.
  A healthy acceptance that every idea need not pan out helps.
  I feel that the present generation is not really short of ideas but lack a sense of adventure and derring do. That has something to do with the evaluation system of the education system.
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  Kaustubh Katdare

  A lot of engineering students require handholding to the extent that they want a 'guide' for everything. I was interacting with a 26 year old software developer from the UK - and he told me he picked up PHP in flat 6 months - without reading any book! I was amazed by his ability to build software systems!
  
  He told me that he got started without picking any book. He simply 'fixed his mind' on learning the language and directly got started with developing smaller software systems.
  
  But that's all about attitude I guess. I've always wondered why it is so difficult for people to come up with ideas. What I see that most of the students pick up few buzzwords on the Internet and then go on asking for projects / seminar topics related to those buzzwords.
  
  I think the 'attitude' needs to be developed among students.
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  Ramani Aswath

  The_Big_K

  I think the 'attitude' needs to be developed among students.

  Is not this at least partly the teachers' role? Deplorably, many teachers themselves fall far short on attitude.
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  aarthivg

  I think, present engineering students want to do their project unique. For that they need to find a platform like CE to clear up their doubts. Biggest problem is that students have ideas, But they are not confident to move forward on their ideas.
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  vinod1993

  I am sorry..! My opinion is completely flawed..! My bad..! 😔
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  Ramani Aswath

  vinod1993

  In my opinion we are short of ideas because..! As generations go by, Mankind becomes lazier and lazier..! Perhaps, we are at the peek of laziness..!

  This is equivalent to the classic foxes and rabbits problem. When there are no rabbits to eat the population of foxes comes down. Since foxes are not eating them the rabbits increase. Because there are more rabbits the fox population goes up. If the fox population and rabbit population are plotted against time the result is two sine waves 180 degrees out of phase. What you are saying amounts to a cyclic up and down in idea generation or technological innovation.
  What if the second law of thermodynamics is operating? The universe is moving to a ground state. That would mean a steady fall in innovation.
  Some part of what you mention may be operating. That is, if the motivators like teachers are losing steam, there will be a decline in idea generation, which may lead to a downward spiral.
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  Saandeep Sreerambatla

  Innovation is not doing a BIG thing, for example if your code runs for 5 mins and you did some changes or used some brain and make it run in 2 mins its improvement and can also call innovation to some extent.
  
  Now-a-days people want results without anything, If I have done engineering then I need good percentage which fetches me a software job where i have to copy paste stuff and get good money so that I can spend weekends drinking thinking on what i am doing and what i have studied 😀
  
  I think all things like job dissatisfaction , need to change the job, frustration with life and everything comes because we are not passionate.
  
  I am sure Tesla was passionate about Alternating Current, and Einstein on physics if not they wouldnt have done any inventions. So if we have passion surely we will innovate.
  
  Innovation is not building a testing tool or inventing a programming language, its using them in the best way to serve us.
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  rashmi_rajawat

  i think the problem is the way we are being treated since years, i cant think of a single teacher i have ever met who aspired me or my peers ever for innovations but how to score better...
  and its not alwz teachers,even parents look for the same
  i have seen hundreds of children on my trips to my village, some belonging to slums having very innovative ideas,once i saw a group of them playing pools with things one can hardly imagine! n not just pool but a very fine pool....
  there r so many xamples to talk about,what i see is a vast pool of the talent being wasted just because of lack of resources and exposer
  n the remaining is pushed on a set path deviation from which is not accepted....
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  Abhishek Rawal

  New generation engineering students lacks that fire to do something innovative. Not only that, some of 'em even lack the fundamental basics of certain subjects. In very starting of engineering it should be clear in their mind that NO subject is useless. I have even heard "This subject is useless, it won't be useful in future".This kinda attitude can ruin your career.
  
  Their basics are not clear, semesters passes & its 6th semester, you gotta make some nice innovative project, 'cause it has 300 marks weight-age. They have loads of innovative ideas but as basics ain't clear they don't have any clue from where to & how to start project, at that time they won't work for their project and learn the basics.But Apart from that, these kids will troll some websites & will make a project that has already been made by millions like 'em.Sad thing is, they wont even change the project by a "bit", by adding some of their ideas in it. They will just copy ditto project.
  
  Future of Engineering ..... Pity much 😳
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  rashmi_rajawat

  the sad part is people keep on trying to find a best place to fit in,only after failing everywhere they opt for teaching...