Budding Inventor Aiming To Patent Idea
Newcastle Herald
Thursday September 25, 2008
WHEN 16-year-old Lambton High School student Callen Dick began a wind energy project as part of the school's gifted and talented program he never expected to lodge a provisional patent for his invention.
Callen invented a turbine to generate electricity from the movement of air around tall buildings.In 2007 Callen submitted his idea to Questacon Science Centre in Canberra, where 20 student inventors were selected to attend workshops with scientists and engineers. He was spotted by ABC TV's New Inventors program and appeared in its Bright Sparks segment. Callen won first prize in the 2007 National Sustainable Living Challenge and is negotiating with patent lawyers."I haven't got anywhere near enough money for an international patent so I'm just settling for an Australian patent," Callen said."Even then it doesn't mean I'll get the patent. What I've learnt is that there are smart, rich business people looking to pounce on the ideas of others. "I have approached government agencies to help but they want a patent first."Callen has washed trucks to save money for his patent.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald