Branko Babic

Branko Babic is the inventor of polystyrene concrete, which is created by mixing together expanded polystyrene beads one mm in diameter and large quantities of air . It was used to help control Kuwaiti oil wells set ablaze on Saddam Hussein's orders in 1991 during the Gulf War. Babic states he is owed £100M in unpaid royalties. [cite web|title=Discovery Science, The inventors: Babic|url=http://www.discoveryeurope.com/index.htmlclaimed in the programme] On the other side, it is claimed that only Kuwaitis may file for patents . According to www.patentreformgroup.com:

"In 1991 the Kuwaiti war prompted the development of a way to control burning damaged oil wells. The technology relates to patent applications (GB 8821860.7, 9105690.3, 9106872.6, 9107521.8, 9108270.1, 9109548.9, 9110973.6 and K 39/94 and K 40/94). The outstanding royalties on this technology was well in excess of £100M in 1991. Money people advise that had that sum been well invested at that time, the total value of those royalties should have multiplied many times. As an example of the potential earning capacity of a useful invention the above examples are not unusual but in most cases, inventors never obtain their just reward for the technology they create and indeed, Babic has not been able to retrieve any of the unpaid royalties on the above patents." [cite web|title=Why Patent Reform is Needed|url=http://www.patentreformgroup.com/_prg_forum_discussions/00000005.htm|accessmonthday=11 Januari |accessyear=2007 Why patent reform is needed]

References

Discovery Science Progamme: "The Inventors: Babic"

Notes

http://freespace.virgin.net/babic.branko/