MESA, ARIZONA – Kelly Smith is an MIT engineer that spends his days at an internet software company. Nights and weekends, he is busy raising four active children. Now he is combining all his interests with Protopipes, a creative toy that allows kids to build life-size cars, houses, towers, dumbbells, chairs, carts, swords and anything else they can dream up.
With his father Clint, his brother Blake, and the acting talents of his kids, Kelly has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to bring back Protopipes, one of his favorite toys from his childhood. Kelly attributes his interest in engineering and perpetual hacking to the hours he spent with Protopipes when his family bought a set in the 1980’s. “There is this powerful moment you can have as a kid where you realize you can accomplish anything. If you can dream it, you can make it,” Kelly explains. “For me that moment happened while I was playing with Protopipes.”
Kelly hopes that through the “wonders of the internet,” thousands of kids from the next generation can gain confidence as tinkerers, innovators, and future engineers. If the campaign reaches its target of $30,000 (at least 100 sets of Protopipes pre-ordered at $295), a shipment of Protopipes will be shipped from a vintage warehouse in Europe. If the campaign exceeds the target, there are a limited number of additional sets that can be ordered. After that, the Protopipes team will begin manufacturing, including some exciting upgrades to this classic 1980’s toy. If the campaign falls short of its target, no money changes hands and no Protopipes are shipped.
According to project sponsor Clint Smith, that would be bad news for American children. “I am concerned that America’s schools don’t prepare kids for the real world. We’re trying to make up for that by giving kids a chance to learn real-life problem solving – and having a blast while they do it.”
Protopipes are made of hard, durable plastic, waterproof and fit for use indoors or out. A set of Protopipes contains over 50 feet of pipe, 40 connector pieces, 4 flat panels, 4 wheels and hubcaps, and plenty of plastic clips to hold the inventions together. They are available in pre-order today through the Indiegogo campaign at
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/protopipes. The project can also be supported with smaller financial contributions. Questions about Protopipes can be sent to Kelly@protopipes.co or directed to Kelly Smith at (414) 897-2800. More information can be found at the links below:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Protopipes
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/Protopipes_Toys
Pinterest boards: http://pinterest.com/protopipes/boards/
Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4Jj-frN_hE
Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=-IyElxnbUd8
