Inventor: Gerald Anderson
Invention: Compulift
Inventor’s location: Richmond, USA.

The invention, Compulift, will make lap top computer use easier for airplane passengers, according to its inventor. Gerald Anderson, the inventor, has been working as an information technology professional for the last 20 years, and has been a frequent air traveler. So, he has known first-hand the difficulty to keep his laptop in an upright position when passengers reclined their seats during flights.

It took him five years. He had to look at many different materials and had to redesign several times. But he finally managed to develop a workable prototype that met all of his goals – an easy-to-use, lightweight product that could pass through airport security and fit comfortably in a carry-on bag. The invention holds the computer on a secure base and lifts the lap top screen into an upright position. The bonus? Compulift also absorbs the heat generated from the bottom of laptops during use, according to Anderson.

Compulift is now being reviewed by electronics suppliers and buyers at Wal-Mart. Anderson also has talked with Dell Computer representatives about his invention as well as Continental Airline executives. He has plans to approach other major airlines. The price tag which he is expecting is around $20.

So what does Gerald Anderson has to say to other aspiring inventors? “Never give up!”.

“If you really feel good about something, keep going forward. You will find people that will help champion your cause and help you reach the next level. But you have to keep going. You can’t give up”.