Have a Brilliant Idea? American Inventor Can Help

Imagination and Creativity! Those are the most important factors for success on American Inventor, an exciting new reality TV program. Get inspired by watching on satellite TV as ordinary people turn their ideas into breakthrough inventions. The title of the program, American Inventor is a dead giveaway for the general idea – inventions made by entrepreneur Americans – but it doesn’t fully explain the whimsical appeal of the show itself. Inventing new products becomes a competition, as 12 Americans, selected from hundreds of entrants, try to make their own invention the best of all.

The audience gets a a close understanding of every project and personality. The 12 inventors selected are split up into groups of three, and each show then focuses on one group at a time as the three people compete against one another. Each creator receives a budget of $50,000 dollars to optimize their invention – an amount that can be huge or tiny depending on the techniques and materials involved for each gadget or device. Some are eliminated during each episode while others advance one step further toward their dream.

Some sassy Brits are the brains behind American Inventor. It was created by Peter Jones, who participated in a similar version in the UK, and produced by the same people who brought us American Idol, including – you guessed – Simon Cowell. Their success with other reality shows is evidence enough that this show has got a lot to offer. It’s been just two seasons, and with any luck they will return with Season Three.

The inventions featured on the show range from the useful to the downright strange. Some are so unexpectedly simple as to be a real contribution to society. For instance, a finalist in the first season created a training vest that helps athletes learn to catch a football, particularly aimed at helping receivers. The product is being endorsed by pro-player Jerry Rice and will actually get manufactured and be available for purchase in the future.

There are other superior inventions: Who doesn’t want a clip to use when the lock on a bathroom door is broken? And no doubt the world would benefit from a toilet that kills bacteria with every flush. In season two there was an astounding invention that certainly deserved to win – a convertible, backless bra from inventor Elaine Cato. Happily, even without winning it still got manufacturers’ interested and is available through Maidenform. That’s the beauty of the show – although there is always one person who carries away a cool million in business resources and support, most of the inventions are practical enough that they get picked up by big brands and are successfully developed into reality.