---
title: Simplifying the problem instead of complexifying the solution
description: (Novermber 5th, 2013) Simplifying the problem instead of complexifying the solution | Our agent technology, paired with people, makes for a robust and capable system that can easily handle real world complexity
image: https://blog.thoughtwire.com/hubfs/Web%20Images/blog/simplifying-the-problem.jpg
---

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<https://blog.thoughtwire.com/how-healthy-and-resilient-is-your-building>

## [How Healthy and Resilient Is Your Building?](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/how-healthy-and-resilient-is-your-building)

 by [Christina Piruchta](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/christina-piruchta) on March 02, 2021

Top 3 Reasons Your Building’s Intelligence is Key to Your Safe Back-to-Work Strategy How would you feel if your building could assess sanitation and s\[...\]

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<https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-poll-results>

## [Poll Results: The Value Smart Buildings bring Occupants, Operators and Owners](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-poll-results)

 by [Frans van Staden](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/frans-van-staden) on October 27, 2020

During our recent webinar, we asked our attendees a series of poll questions that cover three themes: 1. What makes a Building Smart, 2. The value a D\[...\]

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<https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-part-2>

## [Expert Q&A: The Value Smart Buildings bring Occupants, Operators and Owners - Part 2](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-part-2)

 by [ThoughtWire](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/thoughtwire) on October 12, 2020

Recently, we hosted a webinar with industry experts from Yorkland Controls, DB Engineering and Multiplex. Below is part two of two excerpts from our e\[...\]

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<https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-part-1>

## [Expert Q&A: The Value Smart Buildings bring Occupants, Operators and Owners - Part 1](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-part-1)

 by [ThoughtWire](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/thoughtwire) on October 06, 2020

Recently, we hosted a webinar with industry experts from Yorkland Controls, DB Engineering and Multiplex. Below is part one of two excerpts from our e\[...\]

[Read more](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/value-of-smart-buildings-part-1)

<https://blog.thoughtwire.com/evolution-of-the-real-time-health-system>

## [Evolution of the Real-Time Health System](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/evolution-of-the-real-time-health-system)

 by [Carly McLeod](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/carly-mcleod) on August 18, 2020

Health systems have evolved significantly with technology throughout the years, with each innovation aiming to reach a higher level of transformation,\[...\]

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# Simplifying the problem instead of complexifying the solution

By [ThoughtWire](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/author/thoughtwire)05, Nov 2013

I loved a recent story about a new autonomous flying robot design that embraces the likelihood of collisions instead of trying to avoid them. By designing what was previously a failure mode into the system, the designers were able to both radically simplify the required control systems and at the same time enhance the capabilities of the robot.

![simplifying-the-problem](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/hubfs/Web%20Images/blog/simplifying-the-problem.jpg)

I liked this quote in particular but I’d really encourage you to [go watch the video and check out the article](http://robohub.org/insect-inspired-flying-robot-handles-collisions-goes-where-other-robots-cant/).

*“This platform allowed us to realize that autonomous navigation was much simpler once you can afford collisions: advanced sensors are not required, and the obstacles can even be used to guide the robot.”*

I’m going to read any article that has the title Insect-inspired flying robot handles collisions, goes where other robots can’t, who wouldn’t? But this one was particularly interesting to me because one of our design goals for the [ThoughtWire platform](https://www.thoughtwire.com/technology/platform-services/) is to make more robust systems that better tolerate failures.

For the robot, the anticipated failures were collisions with obstacles; anticipated failures for [ThoughtWire](https://www.thoughtwire.com/) include incomplete information, ambiguous results and missing functionality.

The robot embraces its failures through an ingeniously simple mechanical design that considers collisions to be an expected part of the flight. Here at ThoughtWire, we include people as an integral part of the overall system design and pair them with a dedicated agent. The real world is complicated and people are very adept at navigating that complexity. Unfortunately the systems people use to do their jobs often exhibit artificial complexity that is unrelated to the problem itself. The power of the [ThoughtWire platform](https://blog.thoughtwire.com/the-evolution-of-building-management-systems) is that it overcomes artificial system complexity so that people can better leverage their strengths in making decisions, resolving ambiguity and acting independently to provide the missing pieces. Our agent t[echnology](https://www.thoughtwire.com/technology/), paired with people, makes for a robust and capable system that can easily handle real world complexity.

 

 

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