Charles Kannankeril, an inventor with seventy patents, draws on his years of experience in creating innovative and useful products to help you bring your own ideas to life. Whenever someone says, I wish there were a better way to do this, then you have an opportunity for an invention. All you need to do is identify a solution, make it a reality, and then promote your method. The more you cultivate these abilities, the better youll become at inventing. With this guide to inventing, youll learn how to: identify areas where an invention could solve a problem; develop the mindset, motivation, and determination to develop inventions; navigate cost factors in the invention process; and improve upon inventions that already exist. Kannankeril also emphasizes how important it is to believe you have what it takes to solve problems. Many inventors make great contributions simply by modifying objects that they handle every day to their liking. Filled with stories from the authors own experiences as an inventor, this practical and entertaining guide to inventing explores how an inventors mind works and how to find The Inventor in You.
Charles Kannankeril was born in Kerala, India, where he received a bachelors degree in chemistry. After coming to United States, he received a masters degree in organic chemistry from the University of Massachusetts. Charles was accepted to the doctorate program there, but he decided to pursue engineering to broaden his knowledge base. He received a masters degree in engineering, from the same university in the field of plastics. Charles has over three years of teaching experience at universities in India and the United States. He has worked in the plastics and rubber industries and has forty-five years of research and development experience in this area. Charles has held various positions in these fields including development engineer, senior development engineer, senior engineering fellow, and director of research and development. Invention has been a large part of his life. He grew up in India without much more than the essentials. Instead of wishing for the kind of luxury and modern capabilities others had, Charles created his own way by making the best out of what he did have. When he saw or heard about the new technologies and advances outside, he often thought about how to experience and recreate what he was missing. The best way he could do that was by imagining, imitating, and improvising. Charles recognized his hidden talents and skills, nurtured them, and learned how to use them. He learned the necessary techniques to train his mind and prepare it to think and act like an inventors mind. He set his goals high and started doing things differently with the resources available to him. This attitude of experimentation and determination gave him the creativity, knowledge, and confidence to become an inventor. During his career, he was granted a total of seventy patentsthirty-seven from the United States and thirty-three international. Currently, Charles has ten patent applications that are pending in the US patent office. Some of his inventions are also protected by trade secrets. Over the years, he invented and documented over three hundred ideas for new products and processes. His areas of expertise include cushion technology using Bubble Wrap, foam, paper, and on-demand cushion products; food packaging technology related to meat-packaging trays, absorbent pads, and microbial control; medical products such as inflatable hospital beds, ostomy bags, blood-wipe pads, and biohazard material shipping bags; solar-power technology, and polymer formulation and process technology. One of his significant inventionsa high temperatureresistant rubber tape formula that could withstand 3400 Fwas not patented but instead kept as a trade secret. In recognition of his contributions, Charles was inducted into Sealed Air Inventors Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the Engineer of the Year award from the Indian Engineers Association in 2012. By sharing his life and research experiences, Charless goal is to inspire readers to be creative and set their goals high to make meaningful contributions to society by creating a better way of life. Charlie Kannankeril is one of the most prolific and creative inventors Ive met in more than thirty years in business. He has written a wonderful book about a creative young boy who developed a passion for invention and grew up to develop more than seventy patents. Its also a superb guide on how to develop our inventive skills, as told by a top-notch inventor. In his book, Charlie shows us how we all can become more inventive in our professional and personal lives. A worthwhile read by anyone interested in the inventive process. William V. Hickey, Retired Chairman and CEO, Sealed Air Corporation I first met Charlie in the early 1990s after he had already become a legendary inventor at Sealed Air, and I was immediately struck by how humble and curious he was. For someone with his well-earned reputation as a genius inventor he was remarkably approachable; he had time for everyone and...
