Technological exaptation: a narrative approach

摘要

What do the feathers on a bird have in common with the glass in fiber optics? The answer lies in exaptation, a concept that has been creatively repurposed (i.e., exapted) from evolutionary biology to the field of technological innovation. Inspired by this movement, we examine different kinds of biological exaptations and draw analogical links to different kinds of technological exaptations. Going beyond mere analogies, we consider a narrative approach to inducing technological exaptations.