Technology Assessment

The Technology Assessment is a careful analysis of productivity, efficiency, and input requirements for a given production technology.

Productivity can be high but inefficient, and inputs may be significant. From OSE's perspective - we are seeking those solutions that are not only productive, but extremely efficient, and low or zero input by virtue of closed-loop production cycles. This means cradle-to-cradle design of highly-integrated productive ecosystems.

For example, take the case of aquaponics. We know that in general, it works. However, how does one master integrated pest management strategy such that production remains viable? What is the highest level of diversity and self-maintaining systems that can be implemented such that a single person can manage a productive operation? What are the input material costs? What are the input labor costs? What are the societal and geopolitical impacts of the technology in terms of resource security and wealth distribution? And, if this technology is designed to be a home system - how do we reduce the labor requirement of the system to no more than 15 minutes per day for a person to produce a complete diet - with zero external input of ? How could the design be made so robust that walking away for one week - or even one month - would have no negative consequence on the system?