Watch American Ingenuity at Work on Satellite TV

Imagination and Creativity! Those are the most critical components behind the popularity of the reality TV show American Inventor. Get inspired by watching on satellite TV as ordinary people turn their ideas into revolutionary new products. American inventor, the name of the show, is a dead giveaway for the general idea – inventions made by American entrepreneurs – but it does not fully explain the whimsical appeal of the show itself. Invention is converted into competition, as 12 Americans, selected from hundreds of entrants, try to make their own invention the best of all.

The format of the show allows for a keen understanding of each personality and project. The group of inventors selected are split up into groups of three, and each show then focuses on one group at a time as the three people compete against one another. Each creator is given a budget of $ 50,000 dollars to optimize their invention â € "an amount that can be plenty or insufficient depending on the techniques and materials involved for each tool, product or toy. prize.

Some sassy Brits are the brains behind American Inventor. It was created by Peter Jones, who participated in a similar version in the UK, and produced by the same people who bought us American Idol, including – you guessed it – Simon Cowell. Their success with other reality shows is evidence enough that this show has got a lot to offer. There have been just two seasons so far, and with any luck they will return with a third season soon.

Theventions on the show range from the weird to the everyday. Some are so simple and unexpected as to be a real contribution to society. A Season One competitor produced a training vest that helps athletes learn to catch a football, particularly aimed at helping receivers. The product is getting an endorsement from Jerry Rice and will actually get manufactured and be available for purchase in the future.

There are other excellent inventions: Who does not want a clip to use when the lock on a bathroom door is broken? And no doubt the world would benefit from a toilet that stopped the spread of bacteria when it flushed. In season two there was a breathtaking invention that certainly deserved to win – a convertible and backless bra made by contantant Elaine Cato. Happily, even without winning it still piqued the interest of several manufacturers and is now sold by Maidenform. That's the beauty of the show – although there is indeed a winner who carries away a cool million in business resources and support, most of theventions are useful and clever enough that they get picked up by big brands and are successfully developed into reality.