Adapting, modifying, and substituting solutions

In the first case, we consider the fact that each engineering system has been developed to provide a specific function. However, many, if not all, engineering systems can be used for other than their originally intended purposes. Changing a system s function is called functional adaptation, that is, the adaptation or use of an existing system to provide a new function. 

We can easily produce many questions to stimulate functional adaptation. For example, we are looking for various applications of a new material, which has been originally developed for structural purposes. We could formulate such questions as 

Could we use it in medicine to create artificial bones Could we use it as a sound insulation  

Asking appropriate questions can also stimulate conceptual adaptation. For example, we are working on the development of a new type of a vacuum cleaner. One of the participants has brought to our brainstorming session a recently developed Roomba 880 vacuum cleaner, which is a robotic device and is considered to be one of the most advanced vacuum cleaners on the market. Several US patents protect its design, but we still may adapt some of its ideas without violating US patent laws. Here we have examples of questions  

What laws of nature have been used to develop this design  

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