Inventors gather to show off their innovations

Inventors and other 'ideas people' from all over South Africa will gather in Midrand, Johannesburg on 24 November 2011 for a heady mix of inspiration, motivation and hands-on instruction at the third annual Popular Mechanics Inventors Conference. The event takes place at the Indaba Hotel and forms part of the sci-tech magazine's "Invent 2011" initiative, which includes a competition with cash prizes totalling R130 000.

Says editor Alan Duggan: "As before, we have assembled an interesting and eclectic line-up of presenters. All of them are experts in their respective fields, some have established international reputations, and a few still bear the scars of lessons learned over the years. The common denominator is a willingness to convey what they know in the sort of language that everyone will understand."

This year's programme again features the entertaining "Pitch it to the panel" segment, consistently rated among the most popular parts of the conference. To participate, inventors submit their products for evaluation by a panel of experts - including a patent attorney, industrial designer and entrepreneur - and debate anything and everything from design to patent protection, from target markets to competing products.

The conference organisers are also planning a few surprises ranging from whiz-bang entertainment to demonstrations of desirable consumer technology, some of it distinctly off-the-wall - to keep delegates interested. He explains: "Inventing is a serious business, carrying serious risks and serious rewards, but there's no reason why we shouldn't have a little fun," Duggan concludes.