Prototype Development

Prototype development is the process of taking your ideas or inventions, and making them a reality.  This is a long process that starts by doing extensive market research to see the feasibility of your new idea, and to verify that there's not already a product out there that's the same.  Many different fields use prototypes to verify that a concept, or theory, is plausible, and that the item will actually do what it was intended to do.  Prototypes are used in anything from fashion houses for clothing designs to the U.S. government's new fighter jets.  Prototypes are used as working models to get all the, "bugs," worked out of a product before putting it into full production.

There are various types of prototypes used, and their names are as follows:  proof-of principle prototype (model), form study prototype (model), visual prototype (model), and last but not least, the functional prototype (model).  These different prototypes are used to check out different aspects of your invention before going into actual production.  The functional prototype is the last step in which you make a working prototype to verify that your invention will work as advertised, and to check for flaws in your design.  

By the time you reach this last stage of your design it is advisable that you apply for a patent in order to keep your work safe, and to avoid having your design stolen.  This process can be a bit time consuming with an upfront out of pocket expense, but it will all be worth in the end.  The patent process is something you could do on your own, but it is highly recommended that you go to a patent attorney to look over your work prior to filing the paperwork.