[chinpokomon]

As long as there is a wealth of knowledge coming out of academic research, what's wrong with that approach? I'm not saying that is what Google X is doing, it sounds like they are pursuing their own academic interests as well, but if all they did was cultivate the research of others and utilize it in ways that have not been fully explored, that seems like a solid strategy. Instead of languishing in academic journals, let's put those ideas to the test.