• Question: Have you made any inventions

    Asked by liverum12 to Neil, Marcus, Kate, Alex on 13 Jun 2014.
    • Photo: Neil Dhir

      Neil Dhir answered on 13 Jun 2014:

      I have, thank you for asking! You actually asked something really rather pertinent there; I love to invent, in fact it was probably the reason I decided to become an engineer.

      I have a kept what I call ‘idea books’, since I was about 12 years old, in which I put down all my ideas (most of which do not really work, but I think there is one or two in there who are really clever).

      So what have I invented? All manner of things really. One thing I did, which I am rather proud of was a new, but very simple, valve system for a company that I used to work for. The beauty of the system was that it was based on simple bicycle valves, but which did the job better than the previously very cumbersome (and expensive) system that the company used. I hope (fingers crossed), that they are still using it today.

    • Photo: Marcus Johns

      Marcus Johns answered on 14 Jun 2014:

      Like Neil, I’ve helped to invent solutions to problems for the company that I’ve worked for. When I was in 6th form, I worked with 3 other people to come up with a way to detect whether a giant rotating sieve was turning properly – if it wasn’t, the vibrations that it created would cause valves to fail in the factory, which was very expensive. Again, I hope that they’re using the system today.
      Whilst I don’t think I’m going to invent anything that can be shown on Dragons Den any time soon, the work that I’m currently doing may one day lead to an invention that could help repair the damage done to people’s hearts after a heart attack. I may not be the one that invents it, but the research that I’m doing may help.

    • Photo: Alex Lyness

      Alex Lyness answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      Hey liverum12,

      I have indeed invented a few things. Creativity can come from the strangest places and sometimes even in the most boring or lectures or lessons you can suddenly find yourself scribbling an idea down in the margins of your mote book.

      When I have been working for other companies they often pay you so that they own your ideas. This seems like a fair deal as they often supply your office, heating, lighting, computers, travel and a salary! However, it can be a tiny bit disappointing as sometimes those ideas can they be taken from you.

      I have invented 3 different drug delivery devices during my time at University. Two of them are currently good enough to consider taking to the next stage and to prototype and eventually patent them. A patent helps protect the inventive steps about your idea for up to 20 years.

      With all good inventions comes a great deal of secrecy as you cannot always tell people what they are until they are protected by a patent, which stops other people pinching your idea. Unfortunately, for that reason I cannot say exactly wheat those inventions are or do but hopefully next year I can once the patents are filed.

      🙂

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