INVENTIONS - WHEELCHAIRJUNKIE.COM

Marty Connolly accomplished a remarkable feat in the bicycle and wheelchair markets with his Spinergy SPOX wheels: He reinvented the wheel - or, at least improved upon it. From an invention standpoint, you have to admit that Connolly's vision was bold. After all, among the most common idioms in our culture is you don't need to reinvent the wheel; however, that's exactly what Connolly did, and to great success.

Yet, for every success story like Spinergy in the wheelchair world, I've seen countless disability-related inventions that went no where, some costing the inventors their life savings, only to ultimately prove no market viability. One key I've learned, though, over the years from seeing so many inventions come and go in the disability realm, is that if inventors simply ask themselves five fundamental questions and do a little homework, they can not only greatly save themselves time and money, but also dramatically improve the odds of success with their inventions.

Understand Precisely Why Existing Products Are The Way They Are
Disability-related products, like all product segments, have conventions that exist for reasons - that is, they serve a profound purpose to the end user. From manual wheelchairs to transfer hoists to handcontrols, product categories have commonalities from brand to brand, and as an inventor, it's vital to understand these conventions, so mistakes are not made by overlooking or removing key criteria that's intrinsic to the market. Years ago, when Connolly showed me his Spinergy SPOX wheels, the first aspect that he explained to me was the validity of a conventional spoke wheel, then how his SPOX maintains those characteristics, but improves upon them - he recognized the vital characteristic of a traditional wheel before striving to enhance it. Put simply, an inventor must become an expert of existing products - understanding why they have succeeded in their current form - in his or her area of invention.

Research What's Been Attempted, Determining Why Others Failed?
More often than not, when I run across a "new invention," I can quickly pull up a web site, advertisement or patent - often more than one - for an all but identical product that's already been attempted. A little research goes along way, and it's crucial to study such findings and ask the frank question of, "If four inventors have already tried to market this and it failed, why will my attempt be any different?"

Surely, some business people are better than others, and that adds to any product's success. However, disability-related products are driven by necessity, and when inventions don't succeed, it's usually because there's an inherent flaw to their actual application and use. The question to answer, then, is that if the concept didn't succeed in the past, why will it succeed this time?

Don't Overestimate The Market
It's natural to think that if one invents a product that truly makes one's life with disability easier, everyone will buy it. But, who is everyone? Your neighbors own cars, cell phones, computers, and MP3 players, but how many own wheelchairs or disability-related products? Very few - very few because the actual statistics of mobility impairments among all consumers is very small to begin with, then dispersed among a vast array of disabilities, conditions, and needs. Sure, some individual disability-related products sell in the thousands each year, but some also sell in the dozens. It's important to realize the true size of the market a product strives to serve, and address the question of is there truly even a market large enough to support it?

Identify If The Invention Is Fundable As A Product
A key factor toward disability-related inventions is whether anyone can afford it, out-of-pocket or through insurance? The reality is, most disability-related products are funded through insurance, and many with disabilities have very limited income - read that, no disposable income - so the while the principle of "you can't put a price on freedom" is an intellectual truth, it doesn't apply in the real world, where funding has limits. In this way, an inventor must not merely ask the question of, will people want to buy my product, but can people buy my product?

Don't Get Fooled By Inspiration
If you've seen the television show, "American Inventor," you know that people have the craziest ideas in the world - some, not even inventions but delusions. And, when the judges point out that their so-called inventions have no market potential, the inventors always have the same reaction: "I've worked on this for 10 years, and no matter what anyone says, I know I've got the next great invention, and I'm not stopping no matter who tells me to!"

Surely, we hear stories of inventors getting laughed at, only to go on to invent harnessing electricity or the personal computer. But, the reality is, the countless products that make their way to market each year have a common trait: Other people see the merits of the product. If several knowledgeable people in a field discourage an invention, their input most certainly should be carefully considered. Most companies and executives are on the look out for the next great invention, and will embrace it when they see it, not discourage it. If everyone in a field frowns upon one's invention, the inventor needs to take a hard, honest look at its merit, removing his or her emotion for clarity.

Considering The Five Inventor's Commandments
When pursuing a disability-related invention, be an expert on the product's target market, understand the field's history and prior inventions, don't overestimate the market potential, recognize whether the product can be funded at market, and don't fall into the trap of ignoring the advice of others.

If you follow those steps toward a disability-related invention, maybe you'll spare yourself a lot of time, money, and frustration - and, maybe you'll even have the next big product to enhance all of our lives.