Continued from page 7 I’m going to come up with a pill counter.’”
With her invention, Barrett will save patients time and maybe
their lives, just like her dream has saved hers.
was shaped by his years of service in the Army. He joined in 1975
Barrett’s life was one that was plagued by tragedy. After years
and after 31 years, the sergeant major retired in 2005 as a service-
of abuse, Barrett’s mother killed the now-50-year-old’s father
disabled veteran.
when she was only a child, she said.
In those three decades, Davis said he made several inventions
to aid in his job as an aviation logistics director. However, the
government only had a “suggestions” program so he could not
patent them. This one, however, he decided to do on his own.
I told myself he always believed
The vest, which is geared towards a military market and styled
in basic black, is a far more streamlined version of the life-saving
in me so I will go ahead and do
garment. It is also much more serviceable, with pockets and com-
partments to hold the myriad of tools (and weapons) a soldier/
this.
officer would need.
In 1997, Davis put his idea on paper; in 1998 he obtained a
patent and in 2000 a prototype was made. Now, he says, he has a
Barrett herself went on to marry an abusive husband and for
$300 million company backing his idea.
years her idea lay dormant until her 30s. In 1998, Barrett said
Still, he says his joy will not be full until he sees his idea out
she went to the Inventions Submissions Corp. but was told her
on the market.
idea was not patentable. Then tragedy struck again when her
“I want to see people wearing it; that’s when it will be awesome.”
son was shot and killed. But, somehow, she found the courage to
When asked about what fuels his dream, Davis answered, “It’s
move forward.
all about saving lives. I know money and fame and all that comes
“I told myself he always believed in me so I will go ahead and
with it, but it’s about saving lives.”
do this,” the Louisiana native said.
In 2002, the then-cook’s helper obtained a patent after she
took on the process on her own. She left her home in Kansas City,
CAROLYN SEALS BARRETT
Mo., and moved to Washington in 2004.
Now a babysitter and living mainly off her disability
Babysitter
claims, Barrett is continuing to pursue the realization
of her idea. She doesn’t have a prototype, though she
Ever needed a prescription imme-
has a digital demonstration of the product and
diately but had to wait “forever” for
she’s not sure where the funds will come from to
your order to be filled? Carolyn Seals
see her idea to the end.
Barrett, of Washington, D.C., may
Still, she remains positive that eventually her
have a solution - a pill counting
invention will be used in pharmacies across the
machine for pharmacies.
nation.
“I came up with the idea when
“What keeps me going is the Lord,” Barrett
I was about 10 years old,” Barrett
said. “I’m believing in the Lord to help me out.”
said. “I went to the pharmacy with
my mother and she was waiting
For information about patents and about join-
in line and I asked her why it was
ing the Inventors’ Network of the Capital Area
taking so long and she said, ‘I don’t
please visit dcinventors.org
know, maybe they’re trying to count
out the pills.’ And
I said, ‘You know
what mama,
I’m tired of
waiting
with you
in this
line,
Photo by Zenitha Prince
Carolyn Barrett found her moment of inspiration when she was only 10 years old.
8 Trends A publication of the Afro-American Newspapers
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