One long ordeal! (part 4)

(Inventor’s sketches)

The Moscow State Technical University of N.E.Bauman (MVTU) taught us the following virtues. Mettle, Valor, Travail, Unwavering, MVTU. The students of the university were endowed with these qualities by the fantastic lecturers at Baumanka, starting with strenuous mental exercise during seminars, lectures and lab sessions and culminating in both physical and professional preparation for the SCB (the student construction brigade). They taught us to think on our feet, make quick decisions, experiment and push forward despite potential risks. I know these virtues bestowed upon me by MVTU will continue to be useful in everyday life and the business arena.

When the “DO-RA” (dosimeter-radiometer) idea first materialized on paper in the form of illustrations and diagrams, the following question arose: What on earth do I do next?! Maybe not quite like this, but where can I design and build a compact dosimeter-radiometer model, that can conveniently and accurately measure background radiation!? To this end, I sought help from my former Baumanka classmates. They helped me find out where these types of devices are currently produced. They told me that similar things in Russia are made in special Design centers. At first, I thought they were joking when they said Design centers. I guess I thought that they would cut a mockup out of wood or carve it out of some material or other like they do in architectural studios. However, everything turned out to be just like my classmates said. Basically you explain the purpose of your utility model to specialists at the Design center, describing the technical specifications of the device and how it should work. Ideally, the Design center should form a team of people from their relevant areas of expertise, make a series of prototypes, and approve them with the client. The center acts as an intermediary between the inventor and the group of specialists creating the device.  The Design center then irons out any errors or technical defects, and makes a more refined product. Once all the field tests and metrological verification procedures have been passed and the commission of specialists has certified all the work, the device along with all the accompanying documentation is submitted to the client, me. This is a summary of the whole process. However, things only ever happen like this in theory or in a textbook on production planning and organization.

 With the Patent almost within my grasp, I started actively looking for one of these sacred Design centers, a science lab, a creative team, or in the worst case, just a group of competent specialists who would help me bring my device into fruition. However, to my surprise, then disappointment, and finally healthy anger, several Design centers told me, to put it gently, they weren’t interested. A number of specialists from Gorbushka and Mitinskii market turned out to be under qualified for the job.

 One Design center mulled over my proposal for a long time, they talked, negotiated, and my fuse finally blew when they said: “That’s it, we’re having a siesta, everyone’s on holiday, come back in September”. I was simultaneously holding talks with another Design center, and managed to get the attention of the senior manager. He listened attentively to me for about a minute, then casually interrupted my chain of thought and erupted into a tirade: “That’s not an invention, I’ve already got 100 of those and not one has gone into production. Do you have any idea how much it costs..!?” He continued along those lines for a while. I didn’t intend to give up and managed to interrupt his verbal stream, saying with conviction “I have money!” and asked: “Can I send you a presentation about my device and then we can get down to business?” Having received a positive “Uhu..”, I emailed him all the necessary files, and copied in his secretary just in case.

The summer weeks dragged on, and no one contacted me about my proposal. It seemed like this Design center was also having a siesta. In the end, without waiting for a call from the senior manager or his secretary, who seemed determined not to make money from my invention, I turned to the people.  I went to pester my friends, as I didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. It was certainly one heck of a long ordeal.