指尖陀螺是谁发明的指尖陀螺发明人
指尖陀螺是谁发明的指尖陀螺发明人
The Woman Who Invented the Fidget Spinner Isn't Making Any Money Off Them
创造减压陀螺的女士没有因此赚得一分钱
Fidget spinners are the must-have toy of 2017, flying off the shelves of shops across the country — but the woman who invented them hasn't made a dime off their newfound popularity.
2017年，指尖陀螺现在全国各地商铺的货架上，成为了必玩玩具。但是创造这个玩意儿的女士，却没能从这新潮物件儿上赚的一分钱。
Catherine Hettinger has been watching from the sidelines as children and adults clamor to get their hands on the anxiety-reducing device she invented more than two decades ago, but had long stopped manufacturing. She's also been watching as one large company after another produces a version of the toy, without needing to pay her anything since her patent expired earlier this year.
凯瑟琳·海廷格在一旁看着小孩和大人们喧嚷，嚷嚷着要买削减焦虑的玩意儿。这是她二十多年前创造的、期间还一度多年停产。她也一向看着一家又一家的大公司制作着这种玩具，并且不用付她专利费，因为这个专利在年头就到期了。
Now, with interest in the spinners showing no sign of slowing, Hettinger is looking to get in on the action herself. She recently launched a new website, where she intends to sell her original circular version of her fidget spinner, which does not include the prongs seen on some of the most popular spinners sold on Amazon and at Walmart. To fund her efforts, which will include recreating the mold for her spinner, she's mobilizing a network of fellow inventors and plans to do a Kickstarter campaign. She's also looking to sell her Florida home.
现在，看到陀螺仍是热度不断，海廷格开端了她的举动。最近她发布了一个新的网站，在上面出售她原版规划的圆形减压陀螺，而不是亚马逊和沃尔玛出售的那种带有棱角的陀螺。为了取得资助，包括筹款重做陀螺模具，她发动了一众创造家，进行一场协助创造者完成愿望的运动，甚至还预备卖掉佛罗里达的房子。
“I like the confirmation that I knew the product would work, and I knew people would use it,” Hettinger told MONEY. “It takes money to make money. To actually launch the product nationwide is often beyond the reach for the original inventor.”
海廷格对《金钱》杂志说：“我知道这产品会成功，也很快乐能取得认可。并且我知道人们会用它，用钱去挣钱。但在全国范围内投进某个产品通常是创造人力所不及的。”
“The best thing is to actually have people buy your product," she added. "Right now, I'm hopeful.
“最好的是人们的确会去买你的产品”她说，“眼下，我充满希望。”
Hettinger invented the fidget spinner in the 1990s in an attempt to provide a product to children and adults that would help calm nerves and ease stress.
海廷格于上世纪90年代创造了这款减压陀螺，用以协助孩子们或大人安慰神经，减缓压力。
She sold a couple thousand devices at fairs around Florida and broke even financially, though she wouldn't divulge how much she made at the time. She also pitched the device to toy companies like Hasbro, but had no luck.“It’s a long shot,” she said of selling a product.
她在佛罗里达的集市上卖出了几千个陀螺，虽然她不肯泄漏其时赚了多少钱，但她几近破产。她还把产品推荐给了像Hasbro这样的玩具公司，但她运气欠佳。“这是个持久战。”她对这款产品有这样的知道。
Over the past few months, the toys have become so widespread that teachers across the U.S. are now banning them from their classrooms, saying they're too distracting.
在过去的几个月中，这款玩具大受欢迎，以至于全国各地的教师们以为它太涣散注意力而制止带进教室。
But even though the fidget spinner could have been Hettinger's big break, she doesn’t seem to mind the device’s sudden popularity. In fact, the product’s success has only confirmed her confidence in it.
但是虽然这个减压陀螺是海廷格的一大成功，她如同不那么在意产品的俄然走红。实际上，产品的成功仅仅证明了她对这个创造的决心。
“Maybe if it was some kind of exploitative product — like a new style of cigarettes — and my only motivation was to make money, I’d have a different attitude,” Hettinger said. “But I am just thrilled.”
或许，假如说这归于某种可开发产品，就像一种新式卷烟，而我的仅有动机是挣钱，那么我也许会持不同情绪。海廷格说：“现在我仅仅非常快乐。”