Updated on April 15, 2026

Feature transfer

Feature transfer is an analytical tool for improvement of an engineering system given (base system) by transferring certain features from the alternative system (competing system) with the aim to combine the useful features in a single system.

Overview

Feature transfer is a special tool facilitating the innovative hybridization. It has been designed to improve engineering systems (both devices and processes) by transferring desirable feature(s) from one or more feature-providing systems to the base system.

Like trimming, feature transfer is a problem-generating tool. It creates problems that have never existed before. Solving these problems leads to entirely new and unexpected solutions.

Feature transfer is a tool that not only helps reduce the cost of innovation but also minimizes the associated risks, as the required functions already exist in other engineering solutions. From another perspective, this tool expands the range of available resources for addressing key disadvantages of the analyzed engineering system.

Depending on the goal of the project, future transfer can be used at two different points of the analytical stage:

  1. At the beginning of the project for new product development when it is used to hybridize the systems identified during benchmarking. This mode of hybridization usually changes the system considerably.
  2. After CECA, as one of the scenarios to handle key disadvantages (trimming is the other one). This mode of hybridization does not change the system much.

The outcome of feature transfer is a set of feature-transfer problems about how to transfer one or more features. 

Feature transfer algorithm

Feature transfer algorithm is the following:

  1. Identify the main function of the initial system / component that is being improved.
  2. Formulate its advantages and disadvantages.
  3. Identify the pool of competing systems.
  4. Select an alternative system from the pool of the competing systems.
  5. Select the base system out of the initial and the alternative systems (the base system is the one that was selected for improvement (transferring a feature to).
  6. Use CECA to identify the feature in the alternative (feature-providing) system that can eliminate the disadvantage of the base system.
  7. Formulate the feature transfer problem.

When selecting alternative systems for feature transfer, multiple options may be considered. In such cases, the application of each system should be developed separately, and steps 4–7 should be repeated for each.

Nuances of feature transfer

Multi-step feature transfer

Feature transfer can be highly useful for combining the advantages of different alternative systems. If a solution does not meet the requirements or still has disadvantages, the algorithm can be repeated as many times as necessary until all advantages are consolidated in a single system or all required parameters are achieved.

No matter how many systems you are going to combine, work on one case at a time.

Three levels of feature transfer

Feature transfer can be conducted at three levels of engineering complexity. Depending on project conditions, constraints, and the desired level of innovation, the following can be transferred to the base system:

  1. a feature along with its physical carrier,
  2. a feature along with its physical carrier, but in the form of a mixture,
  3. a pure feature (without its physical carrier).

Physical system integration – transferring the feature along with its carrier

Transferring the feature along with its physical carrier is the simplest way; however, it is characterized by the lowest level of innovation and patentability.

This method is quick and easy but can only be applied if the base system has enough space for the feature-providing component/system.

Mixture - a special case of physical system integration

Mixture is a more advanced form of transferring a feature along with its physical carrier. This approach typically results in more innovative solutions compared to directly transferring a physical component. 

The method involves breaking down the feature-providing component into small particles and mixing these particles with the corresponding component of the base system. From a macro-level perspective, only the base system component is recognizable, while at a micro level, the particles of the feature-providing component are also present.

Mixture is typically considered when there is not enough space in the base system for the feature-providing component. However, a key requirement is that the particles of the feature-providing component must retain the feature intended for transfer. For example, embedding magnet particles in silicone results in magnetic silicone.

Pure feature transferring

For the most innovative solutions, the pure feature transfer is the most desired way. Transferring the feature without any physical component completely blurs the boundary between systems, making their identification no longer possible. Such solutions not only represent the highest level of innovation but also have the greatest potential for patentability.

Neutral (or inert) system

A neutral (or inert) system is defined as a system whose advantage lies in the absence of the base system’s disadvantage, while its disadvantage is that it does not perform the desired main function. Since a neutral system does not fulfill the intended function, it is typically chosen for its low cost or even for being freely available. Common examples include air, water, sand, etc.

During hybridization, the base system provides the required functionality, while the neutral system neutralizes the drawback, effectively “diluting” its negative impact.

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