American Inventor Prototypes

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www.T2design.com

TV Reality Series Inspire More Women Inventors To Launch New Products

T2 Design and Prototype, 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.

“American Inventor” finalist, Jodi Pliszka proudly displays her product the Headline It! for hats, helmets and wigs.

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 and Peter Jones, was very popular in the U.S., premiering with 14 million viewers.  Two seasons aired in the U.S. and recently both seasons of “American Inventor” TV series recently aired on Virgin 1 television in England and is currently airing in Sweden.  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.

	At the Beijing Olylmpics, Sheila Taormina won the riding event of the pentathlon while using the Headline It!

One of the twelve finalist inventors featured on the first season of ABC’s “American Inventor” was Minnesota inventor Jodi Pliszka, who during production of 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! T2 Design is professional and on top of everything from patent searches to high tech prototyping and they have a vast knowledge of the marketplace. 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.  CNBC’s “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch also impacted and motivated many inventors and entrepreneurs.  Donny’s show highlighted successful entrepreneurs, as well as beginners seeking advice along the way. Many inventors often credit Donny Deutsch’s show as giving them inspiration to develop and prototype their products.

	“The Knit Kit” incorporates 8 essential knitting tools in an all in one compact device.

One of the most internationally successful invention television shows is the Sony format-owned “Dragons’ Den.” This TV series has been produced in Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland and recently in Nigeria. The British version of “Dragons’ Den,” featuring billionaire judge, Peter Jones, who also was a judge on “American Inventor,” is now airing in the U.S. on BBC America.  “Dragons’ Den” features inventors seeking backers from wealthy industrial titans. An American version of the TV show, to be titled “Shark’s Tank” is currently being developed by ABC television and “Survivor” reality TV producer, Mark Burnett. This TV series will provide an opportunity for American inventors and entrepreneurs to pair up with financiers and billionaire backers.

Barbara Barry launches her invention, “The Knit Kit” , at the TNNA convention.

Thousand of inventors pursue the Hollywood route to debut their products. 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, with thousands more Knit Kits ordered within weeks.  Ms. Barry’s invention was designed and prototyped by T2 Design and this innovative product will be available in knitting stores across the country in April and on the web at www.TheKnitKit.com.  T2 Design also found Ms. Barry a manufacturer for her outstanding product. Inventor Barbara Barry says, “The Knit Kit is as essential for knitters, as the Swiss Army Knife is for campers.”

	Marion Kohte’s clever invention “In Your Face viewbase”T allows a user to hold iPods and PSP’s hands-free at eye level, even on an airplane.

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”T 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”T product generated excitement and orders at Macworld and will soon be in stores and is available on the web at www.InYourFaceUSA.com.

Virtual prototype of inventor Kim Laney’s “Adjustable Hat Rack.”

From Macworld to home furnishings shows, many women first-time inventors are achieving success at conventions, and their products are now being sold in the marketplace.  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 Space-Savers retail stores and on the web, as well as Amazon.com and others worldwide.

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 created a line of action dolls and The Jacabee Code interactive website game, as well as unique, personalized online book publishing.

	Maribeth Nickell’s Yankee Dooley doll line was inspired by historical paintings made by her great grandfather, presidential portrait artist, F. Luis Mora.

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.  Their team really worked with us to understand our exact needs and maximize our dollars spent to produce our dolls.” She continued, “They are great partners who work hard to deliver beyond your expectations.”

Jeannie Hartman and her young daughter, Haley, approached T2 Design with a toy they co-invented, looking for marketing assistance.  T2 Design takes on very few inventions for marketing, but was so impressed by the mother and daughter invention, that T2 Design took on the project.  T2 Design brought in a major toy company and currently Ms. Hartman and T2 Design are working with this top toy company and fully developing a complete product line, with plans to launch next year.

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.”

T2 Design and Prototype
1238 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310-656-9922
Website: http://www.t2design.com
Email: info@t2design.com

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