532 views Published on Mar 18, 2018 Former water stunt man and inventor of the wind up radio, Trevor Baylis CBE. In 1994, as a result of being featured on the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme and in an interview on the World Service, a backer came forward to help start manufacturing the radios in South Africa, employing disabled people. At age 16, he began working for the Soil Mechanics Laboratory in Southall while studying engineering at a nearby technical college. Trevor Baylis, Self: The 11 O'Clock Show. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Meanwhile, Baylis took on work as a stuntman for television programs in the 1960s and 70s and performed underwater feats in shows such as the Berlin Circus. The original company closed following Trevorâs death. A 1998 study of radios with different power sources found that, despite its weight, the BayGen had a significantly lower overall environmental impact over a five-year lifetime than any other radio on the market at the time. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. Trevor Baylis, who has died aged 80, left his school in London at 15 without any qualifications. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Ten22 8 Mar 2017. He had friends who had suffered life changing injuries as a result of their work. Now the P.T. Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, famous as the 1960s haunt of Jazz and R&B music legends, was also home to the inventor of the wind-up radio powered by winding a crank to drive a generator instead of relying on batteries or an external electrical source. Inventor ... Trevor Baylis was born in 1937 in Kilburn, London and was brought up in Southall during the Blitz. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. In 1997, Baylis was awarded the Order of the British Empire and the President's Medal from the UK Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He argued that intellectual property theft should be a criminal offence. It is still considered an iconic piece of British design, featuring in the Science Museum collection. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? Also that year, Baylis was honored with the World World Vision Award for Development Initiative. But despite the success of this, and other inventions, Baylis never made a great deal of money from his many ideas. That year, an improved version of the Freeplay Radio made its debut. Trevor Baylis, who has died aged 80, left his school in London at 15 without any qualifications. This smaller, lighter model was designed for the Western consumer market and had a run time of up to one hour with just a thirty-second wind. 222 Third Street, Suite 0300 Cambridge, MA 02142 He died on March 5, 2018 in Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, London. When Baylis’s design was manufactured as the BayGen Freeplay radio, it won him 1996 BBC Design Awards for Best Product and Best Design. Baylis was perhaps best known for his wind-up radio which he ⦠He thought of the old Victorian-era gramophones, which used a hand-crank for power that allowed them to play music. Trevor had invented a clockwork (windup) radio! Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. Numerous additional honors and awards followed. He was an excellent swimmer who, at the age of 15, was given an opportunity to compete in the sport for England. Trevor Baylis, a tinkerer who turned to old-school technology in an effort to disseminate accurate information about AIDS through Africa, inventing a portable radio ⦠Baylis became a much sough-after speaker and media personality. As a result, he focused his effort on inventing devices to help people with disabilities in their everyday lives. The inventor of the wind-up radio, Trevor Baylis, has died aged 80, the manager of his company has confirmed. He came up with over 200 of these devices, which he named Orange Aids and included one-handed bottle openers, foot-operated scissors, can openers and sketching easels. In 2001, he demonstrated another of his inventions, dubbed “Electric Shoes,” by walking 100 miles across the Namib Desert where he raised money for charity and showed off his product, which allows the wearer to use his own walking power to charge a small battery for operating a radio transceiver or cell phone. Baylis was inspired to create his clockwork radio when watching a documentary about AIDS in Africa. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Times were tough during WWII, and the Baylis family struggled as did many others during the time of rationing and international calamity. Inventor Trevor Baylis died at 80 As an inventor, Baylis's head was always buzzing with ideas and on this occasion he reflected that if an old-style, wind-up ⦠Yet the innovation displayed by the BayGen radio, initially using human-powered energy systems and later supplementing this with solar power, produced a ripple effect in the market and large corporations began to develop similar products. He added a clockwork mechanism that allowed a spring to be wound and then to unwind at a controlled pace. He patented the idea and set out to get the radio into production. This allowed him to set up BayGen Power Industries in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1995. Two enterprising men, Christopher Staines and South African entrepreneur Rory Stear, saw potential in the product right away. But he went on to become a physical training instructor, an ⦠Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Trevor Harley Bayliss OBE (born 21 December 1962) is an Australian cricket coach and former first class cricketer. Baylis provided some early examples of how design could respond to both social and environmental problems by producing products that didn’t require expensive and polluting batteries. Tracy Bhamra is pro-vice-chancellor for enterprise and professor of sustainable design at Loughborough University. At the age of 15 however, Trevor was swimming for Great Britain. In an effort to assist other inventors in protecting their ideas and getting products to market successfully, Baylis established Trevor Baylis Brands in London in 2003. Baylis’s radio illustrates the complexities of balancing environmental, social, ethical and economic decisions in design and is still a useful discussion piece for aspiring designers today. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Trevor Baylis You Can Invent. Despite his fame, Baylis felt he had often not received the financial returns he deserved for his inventions and began to campaign for better protection for inventors. Inventors and the Invention: Trevor Baylis Follow article. He continues to be active on the public speaking circuit and helps inventors develop and protect their ideas through his company. The presenter described the difficulty of getting important health information to people who couldn’t afford batteries for their radios. He understood the value of design and considered this to be an important step in the commercialisation of his ideas. He played for New South Wales between 1985 and 1997 before becoming a coach. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. By 1991, Baylis had created a working, wind-up radio that could play for 14 minutes with a two-minute wind. But he was always tinkering away in his workshop, just as had been as a child, at different inventions. EEL PIE ISLAND, United Kingdom â Trevor Baylis, the inventor of the âwind-up radioâ technology that powers many emergency and humanitarian radio receivers today, died at his home on the United Kingdomâs Eel Pie Island (near Twickenham) on March 5. Although many criticised the product for being unnecessarily robust, it wasn’t created for the same kind of use as typical radios in developed countries and instead was designed to be as durable as possible. Baylis immediately went out to his workshop to see if he could build a suitable generator for a radio. Baylis served in the British Army for four years beginning in 1957. His line of “Orange Aids” helped people with limited mobility or those who were confined to wheelchairs to hold onto and maneuver objects such as books and utensils more easily. Baylis began experimenting with a small transistor radio, an electric motor taken from a toy car, and a hand brace. By 1991, Baylis had created a working, wind-up radio that could play for 14 minutes with a two-minute wind. Trevor Baylis - his mission to protect intellectual property The death of inventor Trevor Baylis saddened many people who had seen him on TV or used one of the numerous products he created. Trevor Baylis - Tribute To The Legendary Inventor of The Clockwork Radio. Barnum of British invention wants to unleash pedestrian power. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. Trevor Baylis considers himself lucky. The original company closed following Trevorâs death. David Bunting said Mr Baylis from Twickenham, south-west London, died on ⦠By Tom Hasker, Associate Partner, Lighthouse International Baylis has also invented a shoe that can charge a mobile phone (Paul Grover) âEven when someone has a bright idea, what tends to happen is ⦠He suggested that all school children should learn about inventing and intellectual property in the same way that they learn about art. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? The inventor of the wind-up radio that helped millions of people in third world countries, Trevor Baylis, has died aged 80 this morning after a long illness. ', My First Job: Trevor Baylis, the inventor, remembers his days as a, Celebrity square meals: The inventor Trevor Baylis's Keralan curry, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Through the show, he learned that in many areas in Africa the only means of mass communication was the radio, but as people often lacked electricity and/or access to batteries, they weren’t able to hear about news and advice that aimed to curb the spread of the disease. But he went on to become a physical training instructor, an engineer, a stuntman and, at 45, a full-time inventor, eventually finding fame for developing the wind-up radio. Former North Londoner Baylis was the most notable resident of Eel Pie Island â a Victorian holiday resort in South West London which gained notoriety in the 1960s through live performances by acts such as the Rolling Stones and The Who. The resulting clockwork prototype worked well but he struggled to get anyone interested in producing it. Many individuals around the world, particularly in third world countries, lack access to electricity, which makes it difficult for government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to pass potentially life-saving information to them in times of crisis or when battling epidemics. Trevor Baylis embodied the role of the inventor, always looking for solutions to problems and proving his novel ideas through many prototypes. Trevor Baylis Brands was started by Trevor Baylis, the famous inventor of the Clockwork Radio and helped inventors for many years. Trevor attempted to promote his invention, but manufacturers were not convinced of its commercial value. Inventor Trevor Baylis came up with a solution to this problem in 1996, when he introduced the world to the first ever hand-powered, wind-up radio. Baylis was inspired to create his most well-known invention in 1989 when he saw a television program about the spread of AIDS in Africa. A quick Google search for Trevor Baylis will show an inventor in their true environment. In addition, having met and worked with so many stunt men who were no longer able to work because of injury, Baylis was inspired to invent a variety of products to aid handicapped people. Meanwhile, details of Baylis’ wind-up radio were broadcast on a radio station in Johannesburg, South Africa. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. In 2002, he set up a company to help inventors realise their potential and protect their genius. Many of Baylis’s inventions were inspired from his time as a stuntman. Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio â obituary Trevor Baylis in his workshop on Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, 2009 Credit: Richard Watt T ⦠Trevor Baylis, the creator of the wind-up radio that helped millions in the developing world to access life-saving information, has died aged 80. Production of the radios began a year later when consumers were introduced to the “Freeplay” brand wind-up radio. He made his radio very durable and easy to repair so it would last as long as possible, a real shift away from the usual consumption-driven product market. Trevor Baylis was born on May 13, 1937 in Kilburn, London, England as Trevor Graham Baylis. In April 1994 Trevorâsâ invention was featured on on the BBC program âTomorrowâs Worldâ. Baylis received an OBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2015 for services to intellectual property. They contacted Baylis to express their interest in working with him. The vast majority of these early production radios were sold to aid agencies to distribute freely, but over time they also became very popular with consumers in the developed world and were able to be sold for profit too. Sustainable product design still struggles to be recognised and applied by industry today. The latter, called Shotline Steel Swimming Pools, continues to operate as of this 2007 writing. He quickly realized that a communication tool that did not rely on external power sources was necessary. Then in 1991 he saw a TV programme about Aids in Africa. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. Trevor Baylis, who has died aged 80, is best known for being the inventor of the wind-up radio, but he also created hundreds of other devices, including many ⦠Trevor Baylis, the British inventor of the wind-up radio who helped foster the spread of information throughout poor and remote communities, died Monday, March 5, ⦠The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. Most inventors in the UK tend to get a raw deal, but according to Baylis, thatâs all about to change. Trevor Baylis is a British inventor best known for inventing the wind up radio more than 20 years ago. Eel Pie legend. The product was awarded the BBC Design Award for Best Product and Best Design in 1996. Trevor Baylis, who has died aged 80, left his school in London at 15 without any qualifications. March 5 2018 Trevor Baylis, best known as the brains behind the wind-up radio, has died at the age of 80. In 2003, he set up Trevor Baylis Brands to help inventors struggling to develop and protect their ideas, helping over 10,000 people and launching many spin-off companies. At first, interest was lukewarm at best, but in 1994, his prototype was featured on “Tomorrow’s World,” a BBC television program. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Trevor Baylis CBE Inventor 1937-2018 Trevor Baylis in his Eel Pie Island workshop. He discovered that one of the reasons for the spread of the disease was a lack of health education in developing countries. After many rejections Trevor got lucky. He was born in London in 1937 and received his education at North Primary School in Middlesex. Spin-offs from this design included a wind-up torch and MP3 player, along with shoes that generated enough electricity from the movement of the wearer to charge a mobile phone. “Disability is only a banana skin away,” he often said. More recently, the brand teamed with Motorola to create a wind-up mobile phone charger. Baylis embodied the role of the inventor, always looking for solutions to problems and proving his novel ideas through many prototypes, The wind-up BayGen Freeplay radio (JD Pfaff), {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, The wind-up radio inventor who took sustainable design seriously, Trevor Baylis: 'Why invent, if the idea will be nicked? Baylis was able to secure funding from Staines and Stear as well as the Liberty Group. 2 2 0 Early Days Trevor was born in 1937, in Kilburn, the son of an Engineer, Cecil, and Gladys, who was an aspiring artist. Later he started his own swimming pool company. He went on a tour of several African nations lecturing for the British Council in 1998, followed by tours in 2000 to Australia, India, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. This article was first published on The Conversation (theconversation.com). The inventor, who was awarded a ⦠The Freeplay range later expanded to include flashlights. Aside from the Orange Aids, one of the most famous Trevor Baylis inventions has to be the wind-up radio. Baylis began experimenting with a small transistor radio, an electric motor taken from a toy car, and a hand brace. Inventors and the Invention: Trevor Baylis Early Days Trevor was born in 1937, in Kilburn, the son of an Engineer, Cecil, and Gladys, who was an aspiring artist. It only took him 30 minutes to come up with a solution. Trevor Baylis' hand-crank radio made him the toast of the Thames. The British inventor of the clockwork radio and more than 200 other devices has died, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. This was the opportunity Baylis needed. Trevor Baylis invented âClockwork radioâ. His experiences led him to launch two spin-off companies, one for aquatic displays and the other for steel swimming pools. He added a clockwork mechanism that allowed a spring to be wound and then to unwind at a controlled pace. Unlike so many of his colleagues, he has been given the recognition he deserves for his inventions. Born in Kilburn, England, near London, on May 13, 1937, Baylis grew up in Southall, England, where his early education was interrupted by World War II. The inventor of the wind-up radio, Trevor Baylis, has died aged 80. info-lemelson@mit.edu » 617-253-3352. Despite his many successes, he once said he had one big regret: not being selected to swim for Great Britain in the 1956 Olympics. His education was disrupted by the War which led to the failure at the 11+ exam. Embed from Getty Images. Trevor Graham Baylis was ⦠In 1961, he accepted a post as a salesman with a swimming pool company, Purley Pools, where he became involved in research and development for the firm. His biography, “Clock This,” was a bestseller. 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