Bill Nye the Patent Guy

Yep, turns out Bill Nye isn't just a fun science educator, TV personality, and proponent of science and logic: he's also a patented inventor. 

I watched a fair bit of Bill Nye the Science Guy as a kid (federal mark registration nos. 5767841, 6016692, 2010276, 1573911, and 1794982); there are some pieces of his show I still recall clearly, more than 25 years later. He blended entertainment and science learning for children in a unique way that was memorable to many people, proven by his continued influence on my generation. [Language warning on that last one.]

It is therefore hardly surprising to learn that he is also the inventor of multiple patents. I could not have been more pleased when I recently learned this. 

And, very appropriately, some of them could have been featured on his show, used to explain science to kids (or even adults). Most notable in that category is US Patent no. 5,515,203 Educational Lens. It could have been on his show, as the patent essentially states in the background information section. That section is the most easily readable in any utility patent I've ever seen, and reflects many of the values and statements we've always heard from Nye: science is for everyone, we can make it interesting and educational for all people of all ages, and simple household items can be used for fun science experiments. Unfortunately, the rest of the patent reads fairly similar to others, relying on jargon and special patent syntax found in no other form of writing. The Educational Lens is Nye's first patent, granted in 1995.

Anyone can make this patent with a few simple objects!

His next most famous patent is not as educational in use nor is it written in plain language in any part. Bill Nye, influenced by what I can only imagine, designed and invented a better toe shoe for ballet dancing en pointe. Patent nos. 6,895,694 and 7,254,904 describe the improvement to the toe shoe that helps increase comfort and reduce injuries frequently incurred in this form of dance. 

A better toe shoe

I'd particularly like to learn if the new toe shoe became a more common model, or if everyone is waiting out the last few years of the patents' enforceable period to start mass producing it. Anyone up to some ballet shoe market research?

Later, Nye and co-inventor Steve Goucher patented a Throwing Technique Trainer (no. 7,771,294). Again, Nye's patent is aimed at helping reduce injuries related to specific functions. In this case, it is mostly focused on baseball, especially pitchers, who eventually have stress injuries from repeated, extreme motions. This training tool doesn't change that, but it does work on mitigating injuries resultant from sloppy or incorrect technique. An ounce of prevention, and all that.  

Learn to throw a baseball correctly with Bill Nye

Finally, there is a design patent no. D399,522 for a digital abacus that I'm 90% certain is also his; I feel like there can only be so many William S. Nyes who live in Seattle, and among those, just one who also likes to invent learning tools. It's a binary number-based abacus, which sounds challenging. He shares invention credit with William M. Pease, also of Seattle.

Binary abacus, anyone?

According to the bio on his website, I'm correct (phew!).

Well, I'm off to fill a Ziploc® bag with water and create an Educational Lens.