'From this little place in Sunderland, we are trying to change the world'

It sounds like some new positive-thinking fad, but what he says makes perfect scientific sense.

In 1981, Nobel Prize winner Roger Sperry discovered that the left-hand side of the brain contained logic and reason, and the right-hand side was for creativity.

"The problem is, sometimes people listen too much to the left of their brain and forget about the right-hand side," says Mr Devitt.

"If they come up with an idea, the logic side tells them immediately that it is stupid - that it won't work."

He grins. "I am hoping to change all that."

Last year, the chief executive and the operations director of the Business Innovation Centre (BIC) in Sunderland, realised there was a gap between people having ideas and wanting to start a business.

There are, they realised, numerous places people could go if they got past the first stage, and got help to start up a business, but many inventors did not know how to reach that first stage.

Mr Devitt said: "The business support industry is geared towards business start-up, but there is nothing before that.

"What was needed was somewhere to support these people, whether they were already entrepreneurs and had new ideas, or just individuals with great ideas and aspirations."

The Big Ideas factory, based at the BIC site, is a first port of call for anyone who has come up with an invention or idea, but doesn't know what to do with it.

Mr Devitt, with a background in design and experience of running his own business, was recruited last July to prepare the Big Ideas factory for opening in November.

Now he helps schools, regional development agency One NorthEast, the public sector, employment agencies, individuals and businesses to free their creative juices.

He says: "It is mainly geared towards people starting up a business, but it is so good for schools because it is to do with work-related learning - how kids can experience more of what it is like to work.

"Children before the age of seven have no inhibitions and brilliant imaginations - and they often come up with the best ideas."

Mr Devitt brainstorms with children and teenagers to come up with as many ideas as possible, then helps them to see how their inventions can be turned into a product.

So far, children's suggestions have included a sandboard - which is similar to a snowboard; a vacuum cleaner that works by static electricity, snow football, and an entertainment chair that contains an MP3 player, speakers, a television and a games console.

One recent suggestion that came out of a school session was for a dog wash - essentially a carwash that will shampoo and rinse the family pet.

"I'm not sure how it would work without hurting any animals but I am sure we could work that out," says Mr Devitt.

The Big Ideas factory is part of a mission to encourage a spirit of entrepreneurship in the region - starting with changing negative attitudes and encouraging inventors to press on with their ideas.

"Dyson wouldn't have got to where he is today without the resilience to get through other people's negativity about his idea," says Mr Devitt.

"We have an inkling whether things will work and we turn the initial idea into lots of opportunities.

"It doesn't matter what the idea is, we always encourage it, and say 'great', because we are not in a position to say it won't work. We have to encourage people who have had the courage to walk in with their idea. If we turn them off at the beginning they will never come back. Negativity is the norm, that is what they are used to happening, and we have to give positive encouragement."

Since its inception in November, the Big Ideas factory has helped many inventors, and hopes some of its protgs, including Neal Scott and Ray Lewis, will be successful in the Spirit of Innovation awards in the North-East.

When someone initially comes in with an idea, Mr Devitt will check it is their own idea, perform a patent search, and try to develop the idea with the inventor so it is feasible.

He may then register the invention before developing a prototype in the product and process development unit at the BIC centre.

BIC, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, can help with everything from the initial idea, right through to incubator units for start-up businesses, and can also help with market research, financial assistance and advice.

BIC employs 1,100 people and has helped create more than 6,000 jobs in the region.

Mr Devitt says: "Businesses are always looking for people who can think differently, and if we can educate today's children to think like that, it will benefit the region as a whole.

"One NorthEast tries to work with the private sector generally to try to change the way businesses think.

"So many agencies complain about the fact that the entrepreneurial ambition in the North-East is not high enough, but from my experience, it is - people just need to fight that negativity.

"From this little place in Sunderland, we are trying to change the world.