Free guide for inventors
A free guide for inventors
A free online guide from Industrial Design Consultancy shows first time inventors how to take their ideas from rough concept to polished product.
Available online, the guide has been produced by experts with over 30 years experience in product.
“We receive calls from inventors bristling with new ideas on a daily basis, but it can often be a frustrating experience all-round if all the groundwork hasn’t been completed beforehand and the concept isn’t ready for product development. Inventors all face common challenges and set-backs when going it alone. Yet there is very little advice freely available which provides a comprehensive ‘How To’ guide explaining each essential stage of the process, so that’s exactly what we have produced,” explains Stephen Knowles, managing director of Industrial Design Consultancy (IDC).
Laid out step-by-step, the IDC Inventor’s Guide offers a clear introduction to research and development, the patenting process, confidentiality agreements and costs, as well as advice about seeking outside investment, licensing and marketing. It provides all the need-to-know essentials necessary for planning and assessing the development of a profitable product and protecting it. For those who feel ready to start the product design and development process, there is also a 60-second checklist, questionnaire and confidentiality agreement to ensure all the areas have been covered before investing precious funds and time.
Recent inventors whose products have made headlines following engineering, product design and development support at IDC, include a next generation motorcycle helmet called the ‘Superskin’ (available from Laser Helmets).
The product recently launched in a global market to united praise. The medic-turned-inventor behind the concept, Dr. Ken Philips, has received wide-spread recognition for dreaming up a way to help reduce rotational head injury – the biggest cause of fatal head injuries amongst bikers during road accidents. The ground-breaking helmet mimics nature by using a membrane which acts as a powerful skin-like covering to protect the scalp, reducing rotational forces on impact and providing vastly increased protection for the head and brain. With over 10 years of development and investment totalling in excess of £1million, Dr. Phillips says the road from concept to production has been a long one, “You have to be obsessional about your product. In the end, it’s about believing in your idea and knowing it’s worth it.”
The IDC Inventor’s Guide aims to make the journey easier by providing a quick-read reference manual to help potential inventors keep on the right road without time-consuming diversions and detours.
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