TV Reality Series and Conventions Provide Inventors with New Opportunities

April 16, 2009 - PRLog -- Santa Monica, CA, April 16 –  T2 Design Corporation, featured on ABC’s hit TV series “American Inventor,” has designed and prototyped hundreds of inventions over the past fifteen years.  In the past few years, there has been a tremendous increase in reality TV series and a popularity of invention television shows.  There has also been an increase in the number of patents filed annually since these shows started airing and many more woman are now patenting, prototyping, licensing and manufacturing new inventions as well. President of T2 Design, Paul Berman, has seen a dramatic increase of women inventors and believes the trend could be inspired by reality TV shows.

     The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states that in 2002, the most recent year in which they have data for, women invented 10.9% of the inventions patented. In the past three years, since the debut of  ABC’s “American Inventor” TV series, Paul Berman, a University of Michigan graduate, noted that women inventors now account for approximately 30% of T2 Design’s clients and many are launching new products at Macworld and other conventions nationwide.

     Numerous inventors are inspired and thousands are taking advantage of the popularity of invention television shows to debut or develop their invention ideas. “Between thirty five to fifty percent of the inventors chosen to be filmed and featured on these reality TV shows are women, which is disproportionately higher than the percentage of individual patents filed annually by women,” said Linda Shayne, a TV and film, writer and director. “And in turn the media attention on women inventors seems to be inspiring more women to pursue their inventions. It’s terrific.”

    ABC’s hit TV series “American Inventor” produced by Freemantle Media and executive produced by Simon Cowell, premieried with 14 million viewers.  The first season of the series followed the development of twelve finalist inventions, of which four were invented by women and one was co-invented by a woman.

    One of the twelve finalist inventors featured on the first season of ABC’s “American Inventor” was Jodi Pliszka, who during the show was paired up with T2 Design.  After filming, Jodi continued to work directly with T2 Design to find the right manufacturer for her hat, helmet and wig liner product and she now has achieved success with her award winning invention the “Headline It!”  At the recent Beijing Olympics, while competing on horseback, Sheila Taormina wore the Headline It! under her helmet and won the riding event of the pentathlon.

    The “Headline It!” is now available at Walgreens.com, Target.com, Wilshire Wigs and several other venues including www.HeadlineItStore.com.  The “Headline It!” will also soon be available via the UK’s QVC television channel.  Jodi Pliszka exclaimed, “Being on “American Inventor” was an incredible opportunity and T2 Design is amazing!  Paul Berman is fair, objective and will tell you like it is. Plus, he is a genius engineer by trade...amazing to work with.”

    Another popular TV series that inspires inventors is “Everyday Edisons” on PBS television.  It is a terrific informative invention competition show that is gaining momentum on TV and on the web.   One of the most internationally successful invention television shows is the Sony format-owned “Dragons’ Den.”  This TV series has been produced worlwide. The British version of “Dragons’ Den,” now airs. on BBC America.  “Dragons’ Den” features inventors seeking backers from wealthy industrial titans. An American version of the TV show,  “Shark’s Tank” is currently being developed by ABC and “Survivor” reality TV producer, Mark Burnett. This TV series will provide an opportunity for American inventors to pair up with millionaire backers.

     Many inventors achieve success launching their products at conventions and industry trade shows.  At a knitting and needlecraft convention in San Diego, entrepreneur Barbara Barry introduced her invention, “The Knit Kit,” a tool kit for knitters  Her unique gadget captured the attention of buyers at the TNNA Convention and orders for thousands were placed on the spot.  Ms. Barry’s invention was designed and prototyped by T2 Design and this innovative product is now available in knitting stores and on the web at www.TheKnitKit.com.  Inventor Barbara Barry says, “The Knit Kit is as essential for knitters, as the Swiss Army Knife is for campers.”  

       Inventor Marion Kohte and her husband Hans launched their invention at Macworld 2009 in San Francisco.  Marion and Hans Kohte hired T2 Design of Santa Monica to develop and prototype their invention the “In Your Face viewbase” ™ for iPods and any PSP.  This clever invention is a portable viewing device which allows the user to view videos or movies, hands-free and at eye level.  It has a unique clamp base that attaches onto anything up to two inches thick and the viewbase is sturdy enough to enjoy steady viewing on an airplane ride.  The “In Your Face viewbase”™ product generated excitement and orders at Macworld and will soon be in stores and is available on the web at www.InYourFaceUSA.com.  

    Kim Laney, a travel agent from, Warren, Ohio, came to T2 Design with an invention idea to make a versatile, adjustable purse and hat rack.  T2 Design designed and created a 3D computer model of the product, often known as a 3D CAD model.  Then they generated several photo-realistic renderings from the model.  T2 Design’s process of virtual prototyping was so impressive, that when Kim personally shopped her patented invention with buyers at the Chicago Housewares Trade Show, she immediately closed a license deal with the Whitmor Company for her “Adjustable Hat Rack” and the “Adjustable Helmet Rack.”  

     Ms. Laney received a healthy monetary advance and a standard royalty for her invention.  The Whitmor “Adjustable Hat Rack” and the “Adjustable Helmet Rack” are now being manufactured and sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond and other retail stores and on the web at Amazon.com.

    Maribeth Nickell came to T2 Design looking for a company to develop the design and prototype a historically inspired Yankee Dooley doll line.  Ms. Nickell’s great grandfather, acclaimed artist, F. Luis Mora, whose portrait of President Warren Harding still hangs in the White House today, painted a series of children’s characters for Ms. Nickell’s father when he was a child.  These paintings were the inspiration for Ms. Nickell to create a line of action dolls and The Jacabee Code interactive website game, as well as unique, personalized online book publishing.

     Ms. Nickell and her partner Jaclyn Cannon hired T2 Design to work with them and transform the historic two-dimensional paintings into three dimensional dolls. The Jacabee Code product line was presented at the New York TIA Toy Fair in January of this year.  The game website www.JacabeeCode.com  was launched this month and the Jacabee Code interactive online book publishing takes the adventures of history into a new and entertaining venue.

       “Working with T2 Design was an easy choice for us,” said inventor Maribeth Nickell. “They produce high quality work with an incredible attention to detail."  She continued, “They are great partners who work hard to deliver beyond your expectations.”

        T2 Design has been designing and prototyping inventions for over twenty years. “Often clients find out about T2 Design on the internet.  Consultations are done over the phone or in person,” said President Paul Berman. “Inventors find us from around the world at www.T2design.com.”

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