The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by increasing environmental concerns, stricter regulations, and the need for sustainable Waste Management practices. This has also resulted in the growing importance of technologies such as smart waste collection systems, waste-to-energy conversion, recycling and sorting technologies, and data analytics for optimized Waste Management processes. In the last three years alone, there have been over 3.6 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Technology Innovation: Waste Management systems. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
300+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 2.5 million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, microphone beamforming, live betting games and quantum dots are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Interplanetary file systems, additive manufacturing monitoring sensors and foldable computing devices are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are vehicle platooning and PCI power management, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Waste Management systems is a key innovation area in technology
Waste Management systems are systems and processes used to collect, transport, process, recycle and dispose of waste materials. These systems are designed to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills and incinerators and reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal. Waste Management systems may involve a combination of technologies, practices and policies that aim to reduce the amount and toxicity of waste created and disposed of in an area.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 80+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of Waste Management systems.
Key players in Waste Management systems – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to Waste Management systems
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Walmart is a leading patent filer in the wireless microphone space. One of the company’s patents describes a system that tracks product recalls in distribution centres affected by the recalls. It includes multiple distribution centres, a central office, electronic interfaces, and a recall database. The system allows vendors to input recall information, notify distribution centres, receive confirmation and action updates, and stores recall data. The interfaces provide controlled access to recall information, ensuring that vendors can only input information specific to their own recalls.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include ecoATM and Rubicon.
By geographic reach, Itron leads the pack, followed by Linde and Exxon Mobil. In terms of application diversity, Waste Management holds the top position, followed by Xiaomi and Advanced Biological Services.
Innovations in Waste Management systems involve the development of advanced technologies and processes to efficiently handle and dispose of waste. Major technologies involved in Waste Management innovations include smart waste collection systems, waste-to-energy conversion, recycling and sorting technologies, and data analytics for optimized Waste Management processes. These innovations aim to minimize environmental impact, improve resource utilization, and promote a circular economy.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
