Mother of invention (U.K. Mom of 5 Wins 9 Awards in U.S. for Parental Internet Guard Invention)

icSouthlondon ^ | Jul 6 2005 | David Callam

[nickcarraway]

A MOTHER-OF-FIVE from Whyteleafe has returned from this year's International New Products Exhibition, in Pittsburgh in the United States, with nine awards.

Paula Ward, 32, of The Avenue, won her gaggle of gongs for a little white box she calls a parental internet guard.

A former beauty-salon owner, Paula made a big impression on a panel of international judges - so much so that her electronic innovation was named best of more than 1,000 products from 40 countries.

This is her second successful year - in 2004 she won the award for the most promising innovation at the same show.

But in the past 12 months, Paula, who is now a member of Croydon Round Table of Inventors, has found a manufacturer to supply units on an industrial scale.

And she has sold 100,000 of them at £29.99 each through a combination of high street stores and a website.

The use of the unit at home has brought an unexpected bonus for Paula and her family.

She said: "Now we are able to restrict my daughter Stephanie's access to the internet. She spends more time reading and going to see her friends, which is much healthier than sitting in front of a computer for hours."

Paula has plans for a broadband version of her electronic box of tricks, which she will launch in the autumn.

And she has excited interest in another of her bright ideas - a collar that seals a leak in a water pipe instantly and saves the expense of a plumber's out-of-hours call-out charge.

[Huber]

Genius Ping