KLAPiT Hooked on Invention

Necessity is the mother of invention, goes the famous proverb. But an unmet need is, at best, only a trigger for innovation; it takes an inspired mind, or two, to see the problem from a perspective fresh enough to yield a new solution. Well, brothers Avik and Ishir Wadhwa two such bright sparks, who decided to change the way people hang objects on walls. The former is a GEMS World Academy - Dubai alum and now at university in the US, while the latter is currently in Grade 11 at GEMS World Academy - Dubai.

It’s easy to see why the humble screw or nail has long been the solution of choice for hanging an object from a vertical surface – it’s a simple fix for a basic problem. Nevertheless, it’s also not hard to see why the results are less than satisfactory, because nails and screws leave unsightly, permanent holes, and contemporary homes, with conduits embedded in their walls and surfaces made from modern materials, also often require specialised labour to drill such holes.

An Elegant Solution

The idea for KLAPiT was initially a Grade 10 project for Ishir, but Avik was soon on board as well, spending hours researching magnetism until he had identified the perfect match for their needs. Like all great ideas, KLAPiT is elegant simplicity itself. It consists of an assembly of two steel tapes and a super strong neodymium magnet. The steel tape that adheres to the wall is referred to as the ‘alpha steel tape’ and the one on the object to be hung as the ‘beta steel tape’. The neodymium magnet holds the entire assembly together, as well as the object in question to the wall.

The challenge of making sure the product worked on surfaces as varied as gypsum, glass, metal and tiles - and that it could support the weight it needed to - required a lot of testing and experimentation. Avik and Ishir stuck at it and kept refining their idea until they were fully satisfied that it was the product they had envisioned.

Taking KLAPiT to the world

KLAPiT was unveiled and well received by teachers, students and parents alike during GEMS World Academy - Dubai's Grade 10 annual project exhibition. GEMS World Academy - Dubai CEO Stuart Walker took a tremendous interest in the brothers’ invention, while Chris Burch, Assistant Principal of the secondary school, recommended that the finished product be launched via online DIY, tools and hardware marketplace Ace Hardware.

After the enthusiastic response the KLAPiT got from buyers on Ace, the brothers have spread their wings further afield. In September 2019 KLAPiT was launched on all the major e-commerce websites in India and the brothers have already received interested queries from Australia, Malaysia, the US, South Africa and Japan. For further information, find out how to hang picture frames without damaging walls or common issues while using KLAPit.