TV2 Young Inventors Get Patents
Three young inventors have been granted patents for the
inventions they created for TV2's Let's Get Inventin' show.
The inventions are an in-car coffee machine, a gadget that stops
kids being scared of that horrible noise the bath makes when you
let the water out, and a crayfish pot designed to stop people
pinching your catch. And, there may be more patents to come -
the New Zealand Patents Office says another seven inventors may
also qualify.
The show's inventions will be on display from this weekend at the
Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, and as the
series develops new inventions will be added to the exhibition.
Each week on the show, build-buddy Sam Britten, son of legendary
New Zealand inventor John Britten, helps the young inventors to
develop their ideas from concept through to a working
prototype. Along the way kids can learn the basics of
welding, electronics and metal fabrication, in fact anything needed
to build their ideas. The kids then test their ideas out in
the real world.
The show is receiving an average of 900 emailed compliments a week
from young viewers who say they enjoy learning something new while
being entertained by 'such a cool show'.
"Let's Get Inventin' is a great way for children to learn about
science and technology in a fun and practical way. We are
really pleased with the good response the programme has had from
both parents and children," says TVNZ's Commissioner of Children's
Programming, Annie Murray.
At the end of the series viewers get to decide who the overall
winner will be, with the lucky winner getting an all expenses paid
trip for two to the UK where they will have their invention
developed by New Zealand inventor Bill Martin at his famous
ZEROSHIFT invention factory.
