school using my project to advertise

[Frosty_47]

Well as the title suggests, my private school uses the final project I built to advertise in person to any potential students. I built a plasma speaker for my final, it was a lot of hard work as I went through at least three dozen revisions. All my circuitry is original and not yet published. My concern is that the school constantly uses my project as an example to lure in more unaware people into this place that barely teaches you anything and costs more than most universities in Canada (around 17K/year). The school wants to shoot a high quality video of me and my project so they can "show it to people at student orientation" AKA use it to advertise. They basically expect me to do it for free, the main advertisement person for the school wants to give me a $50 gift card for it and make me sign a no disclosure waiver. Further, my project is most popular with the school staff, students and even the industry judges that come to our school on showcase. This project got me an Industry Award and a gold medal award last year. The school basically wants to use my project as their number one weapon for advertisement as no one ever came close to building something like this in my school.

My question is simple, what amount of money should I ask for? Or perhaps I should ask for royalties?

Thanks

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Got a link?

 

[Frosty_47]

Got a link?

link for what the school ?

 

[bryan1]

G'day Frosty,
First I'll tell you a story about a mate of mine in the US, when he was at school he was asked to design a battle bot and go into the robot competition. mind you this was way before robot wars got popular and was basically done between Uni's. My mate designed a 2 wheeled bot and the teacher copied his design and patented it, now the teacher is a multi millionaire and just got look at the 'throwbot' to see what my mate designed and how he got totally ripped off.

Now in your case this plasma speaker you have designed, is there ANYTHING on the market similar to it or is this a new invention. Personally I would copyright your design and one easy way to that is include everything to do with the project. Put it in an envelop and send it to yourself via registered mail DON'T EVER OPEN THE ENVELOP. If you find your design has been ripped off and some guy is making huge $$$$$ out of it, sue him and produce that unopened letter to the judge. Being a registered letter it will be date stamped then you can prove beyond doubt that you were ripped off. Here in Australia this has been done before and it did win the legal case for the little guy.

I would say to the school due to the hard work and expenses you incurred in designing the plasma speaker you feel you should have the right to charge a fee to help you recover your out of pocket costs.

Regards Bryan

 

[3v0]

The first question is who owns the work ? It may well belong to the school ! So be sure you are on firm footing prior to making noise.

To me the $50 would be insulting. I would look for something substantial.

BUT: More importantly this work can be you ticket to a good job in a real R&D lab (if that is what you want). If you rock the boat too much it is possible you could be branded as a trouble maker.

Ah I almost forgot: Congratulations !

 

[Frosty_47]

G'day Frosty,
First I'll tell you a story about a mate of mine in the US, when he was at school he was asked to design a battle bot and go into the robot competition. mind you this was way before robot wars got popular and was basically done between Uni's. My mate designed a 2 wheeled bot and the teacher copied his design and patented it, now the teacher is a multi millionaire and just got look at the 'throwbot' to see what my mate designed and how he got totally ripped off.

Now in your case this plasma speaker you have designed, is there ANYTHING on the market similar to it or is this a new invention. Personally I would copyright your design and one easy way to that is include everything to do with the project. Put it in an envelop and send it to yourself via registered mail DON'T EVER OPEN THE ENVELOP. If you find your design has been ripped off and some guy is making huge $$$$$ out of it, sue him and produce that unopened letter to the judge. Being a registered letter it will be date stamped then you can prove beyond doubt that you were ripped off. Here in Australia this has been done before and it did win the legal case for the little guy.

I would say to the school due to the hard work and expenses you incurred in designing the plasma speaker you feel you should have the right to charge a fee to help you recover your out of pocket costs.

Regards Bryan

Thank you that is very helpful, I shall mail myself all the work before submitting a final report to the school (which is a form of intellectual proof I guess)

 

[Frosty_47]

The first question is who owns the work ? It may well belong to the school ! So be sure you are on firm footing prior to making noise.

To me the $50 would be insulting. I would look for something substantial.

BUT: More importantly this work can be you ticket to a good job in a real R&D lab (if that is what you want). If you rock the boat too much it is possible you could be branded as a trouble maker.

Ah I almost forgot: Congratulations !

I own the intellectual part of my project. The school can choose to own the physical part by paying a small fee for your project $125. I opted out when my school tried to give me money for the project (on which I spent close to a thousand). So now they cannot own physical part. Despite this I am under high pressure to get this film on the way. I should mention that my project involved 100% research on my part because the electronics theory taught in this school is a joke (graduating students not knowing how to use a MOSFET as an example). As for the job part, I am employed already and making good salary (yes while going to school).

 

[3v0]

I am happy to hear that you own the intellectual rights.

To date I have yet to hear a single EE student say he was happy with his school. I am sure some schools are worse then others.

Back in the 80's I overheard an EE professor say that the undergrad program really needs to be extended to 5 years just to cover the basics properly. I can only imagine how much worse it is now.

If you really feel your education is sub standard and that your work was done in spite of it, then say no.

On the other hand perhaps your project will attract more students and that will allow the school to hire more staff and provide a more complete education.

 

[Gary B]

One other base to cover: do you have an agreement with your employer about anything you design? Some companies make employees sign such an agreement that gives them the rights to anything they make even if it is done on the employee’s own time and expense.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

link for what the school ?

Sure, lets see this video.

 

[BrownOut]

To date I have yet to hear a single EE student say he was happy with his school.

I am. One can learn only so much in school. Leaning is a life long pursuit.

 

[HarveyH42]

Another angle, while they are advertising the school, they'll be advertising you. You may get some 'better' offers. I think when you turn in your paper on the project, you are pretty much giving it to them any way. Plasma speakers have been around for a few years now, not sure if there is a commercial product, or if it's just a hobbyist curiosity. I don't know how long the video is planned to be, but wouldn't imagine it to take more than an hour or so of you personal time (but they will likely use students, and if the media department is just as competent as the electronics... I think I'd do it, myself, since it inspiring to new students, gives yourself a few minutes of fame, which should last at that school for some years, until somebody builds something better.

Is this a project, that you intend to pursue commercially yourself? Do you have any plans to sell kits, the construction details, or figure on holding out for an offer to the rights? If it just to keep somebody else from making millions off your hard work, might as well get over it. Doubt there is much of a chance that no one else can come close, or hasn't already. There must be a dozen YouTube videos of plasma speakers. There are schematics available online. Do you think people are going replace their stereo and home theater surround sound speakers, with plasma speakers (sarcasm)?

You graduate, you get a nice piece of paper to hang on the wall, qualifies you for a promotion at your current job, looks nice to prospective employers, if your looking for something better. The video might be something nice to leave behind, and you really never know who will see it. Seems like there are a lot of people proud of your efforts, and quite impressed with your work. Have to admit, a $50 gift card is a slap (hate getting those things, sort of like getting a coupon discount).

 

[tcmtech]

If it was me I would flat out tell them no deal at first and be up front about the fact that you went well outside of what they taught in order to build it.
Let them know what they teach would likely never allow another student to be capable of developing let alone building such equipment and if they want to use you and your plasma speaker for false advertising they will have to shell out a butt load of money for it.

Then let them stew for while and kindly argue you down to the point of a moderate lease of the unit itself and perhaps some decent level of financial kickback for as long as the use it in advertising.
Colleges and schools spend a pile of money on advertising as is so take advantage of it if you are going to be the top showcase item for a while.
If you can find out what they spend a month or a year on advertising and tell them you want 10% of it for as long as they use you and your device in their advertising and they will never own it out right. I would!

 

[irbirb]

it's nice that the school didn't hold you back from really coming into your own on the project... even if it seems they didn't have much to offer in terms of theory (beyond a basis in fundamentals, too much theory really can get in the way sometimes) ... but i guess you had access to facilities, equipment, and SOME level of mentorship. providing a platform for you to develop and show-off your talents is significant... i wouldn't really know if 32 revisions is something that's going to fly in a results based industry environment or not, but at least you've gone through the steps in a safe environment. and delivering a parade of industry-scouts to your front-step seems to have worked out for you.
there's a funny paradox to education. i personally think that the more independent and self-directed the research the better, but it would really depend on what a particular student needs. like i say, at least they didn't hold you back (well i mean, i guess they didn't).

and now they're paying for a promo / documentation of your project... yeah i know these institutional promo-scouting ventures can be full of sleaze... i guess if you're under no obligation to be a poster-boy/girl then there's no harm in asking for a share of the production budget or whatever... but if your project is going to have a life beyond existing only as a graduation work, then people are going to have to know about it... the interest and momentum could be good things as far as that is concerned.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Lets see these videos.

 

[killivolt]

Thank you that is very helpful, I shall mail myself all the work before submitting a final report to the school (which is a form of intellectual proof I guess)

I think what Brian1 is referring to is what is called a poor mans copy right. Make sure you put a C inside a Circle and Date the Copy with Your signature. Plus, make 4 of these. Each has a hand drawn Copy right symbol have a Note republic stamp including that date and signature , each will be in a separate envelop. One is kept for a lawyer, another is personal, another Backup. Last is 4 just because I'm obsessive compulsive.

Once I complete that I send it in to file with the FED's as a copie right pending. I think it last for a yr and can be extended.

Here is the Link. U.S. Copyright Office - Online Services (eCO: Electronic Copyright Office)

Good Luck. kv

 

[irbirb]

Make sure you put a C inside a Circle and Date the Copy with Your signature

correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe that in canada,
a copyright for something you have made is implicit and those little c's with circles around them are not actually a necessary ornament on your evidence. same goes for "all rights reserved" and that sort of thing.

 

[killivolt]

correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe that in canada,
a copyright for something you have made is implicit and those little c's with circles around them are not actually a necessary ornament on your evidence. same goes for "all rights reserved" and that sort of thing.

Copyright Law in Canada

Maybe so but, he can see for himself. I am not in Canada and you are correct it would only be for an American Copy Right. But, then I'm also only doing what someone else instructed me to do. After, this many yrs since that time it may have changed.

After 30yrs? Anything could change I guess.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[irbirb]

Pics or it didn't happen.

i'm sure the royalty negotiations to allow such a thing are deeply involved.