Exercise 8, page 139.0:01
Clockwork Communication.0:13
After seeing a television report about aids, Trevor Bayless got the idea for an invention that was to help change lives in many underdeveloped countries in Africa.0:26
Health organizations needed a way to get information to remote areas which would educate villagers about the risks of aids.0:38
Radio broadcasts would solve the problem, but most people had no electricity and batteries could cost more than a week's food for a family if they could be found.0:47
Bayless started experimenting with a transistor radio and a small clockwork motor from a toy car.1:00
He succeeded in producing a portable radio that worked without batteries.1:07
After winding the radio up, it ran for 14 minutes.1:13
Bayliss was sure that his clockwork radio could be developed into a useful product, so he took out a patent for his invention.1:18
However, he could not find a sponsor to manufacture the radio.1:27
Rejection letters included phrases such as unprofitable and commercially flawed.1:33
After years of getting nowhere, Bayless got in touch with the BBC.1:41
This proved to be the breakthrough he needed.1:47
Tomorrow's World was a TV programme which looked at scientific and technological developments.1:51
Bayliss was given the opportunity to demonstrate his invention on the program and it was seen by Chris Staines, who is a London based financier.1:57
Two days later, Chris was talking to Bayliss in his home about beginning actual production of the clockwork radio.2:07
A factory was set up in South Africa.2:16
However, early production models which worked perfectly well in Bayliss London living room soon failed in the harsh conditions of African villages because of the heat and dust.2:19
Eventually the problems were overcome and thousands of radios were distributed in remote African villages.2:32
They are still being used for a variety of purposes, but entertainment is definitely not a priority.2:39
The health messages are getting through and in some communities where there is no teacher, children gather round the sets for their school lessons.2:48
Many of these children are doing far better than those receiving a more conventional education.2:58
In state schools, the radios are treated with great respect, as if they were the very teacher in person.3:02
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