You’re Never Too Young To Invent!

21st December, 2023 - 6:58 am Categories: Patent Act 0 Comments

Presenting to you the story of Olive and Olina, aged 7 years, two bright young minds whose perseverance and curiosity allowed them to become patent owners. Their invention, A DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CHEWING HABIT AND A METHOD THEREOF, having patent number 484943 was granted in Dec 2023 and filed in November 2022, is not only a ground-breaking technological advancement to help objectively monitor food chewing pattern/parameters of a user and guide on how good chewing can enable a good digestive system and gut health, but in general, is a testament to the potential young creators hold in reshaping our future.

Their story teaches the significance of letting children explore, develop new ideas, and try new things because one is never too young to invent. It serves as a beacon of inspiration for otheraspiring young minds that if their curiosity and ingenuity are fueled with the right guidance and mentorship,each child can untap their capabilities and be as innovative as possible.

Their journey is a call to action, especially for parents, elder siblings, teachers, educational institutions, and other allied professionals to cultivate a nurturing environment for children that encourages creativity from a tender age so that the child feels inspired to come up with novel ideas, irrespective of how big or small it is. Instead of simply throwing their children into the deep end, hoping they would swim by themselves, providing the right conditioning and access to tools that can scaffold growing those necessary “creative problem-solving” skills could be the pivotal first steps towards unlocking their boundless potential.

Schools at the grassroots levels can foster creativity and critical thinking among students by nurturing their ability to identify problems, generate innovative ideas, and develop solutions that are both original and effective. An environment where each child is:

• allowed to question “why” and “how”;
• provided with practical things they can do each day to pave the way for their innate curiosity, ingenuity, perseverance, scientific temperament, and out-of-box thinking; and most importantly;
• appreciated not only for their success but failures, equally,

…we believe, could provide a foundation to help these young minds embark on their respective journey of creation.

It is not an ask, butan imperative to equip young minds with resources that foster holistic growth, innovation, and critical thinking. Parents, mentors, and educational institutions can help navigate their journey by:

• Providing access to Supportive Resources, such as books, documentaries, educational videos, and interactive learning materials that spark interest in various scientific subjects.
• Welcoming questions like “How” and “Why”and encouraging exploration to find answers to these questions to cultivate their innate curiosity and critical thinking. Mentors and parents could also dive into the pool of questions posed by their child and participate with them along the way to help them discover their “How’s” and “Why’s”. Creating an environment that celebrates curiosity, tolerates failure as a part of the learning process, and encourages risk-taking without fear of judgment is the least that we all can do for the children around us.
• Providing access to STEM Resources, i.e., tools, kits, and resources related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to stimulate interest in these fields.
• Opportunities for hands-on experiences, experiments, and projects that allow kids to apply theoretical knowledge practically. This could be done by encouraging children to observe the world around them keenly and analyze the phenomena behind these observations. These experiential learnings will not only sharpen the perception of young children but also cultivate a deeper understanding of the mechanisms at play, empowering them to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world applications.
• Encouraging artistic pursuits such as music, painting, writing, or any form of creative expression that nurtures imagination and original thinking.
• Providing access to the internet, online scientific courses, and software(s) that enable exploration, research, and learning in diverse fields.
• Teaching life-skills beyond academics and books, such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and resilience, are vital in innovation.
• Presenting real-life problems or puzzles that require logical thinking and experimentation to solve.
• Techniques that promote mindfulness, emotional regulation, and stress management to ensure a balanced mental state conducive to learning and creativity.

These basic tools are simple steps that collectively create an ecosystem where young minds can explore, innovate, and flourish, setting the stage for the next generation of creators, inventors, and thinkers.

These tools, if find their root in society, will also help the parents and mentors to improve their own assessment skills, giving them a greater insight into why and where a particular child is inclined or is struggling, and motivate them to discover a child’s untapped potential, guiding them towards tailored support and encouragement in their unique areas of interest or challenge.

Like Olive and Olina, we can already see some of the kids around us thinking differently!😊