I think it was the winter of 73'-74' when I had the idea that a spinning top should be able to absorb energy and maintain its angular momentum (spin) if a skilled person manipulated the surface the top was spinning on.
Two years of R and D later, I created a working prototype. For the next two decades, I observed, experimented, and made note of the therapeutic value of playing with my invention.

In the summer of '93 my wife, the primary breadwinner in the family, was a victim of IBM downsizing, and we were suddenly plunged into a world of fiscal uncertainty. She suggested I market my invention as a toy, and TOP-NO-SIS was born.

From Thanksgiving '94 to Christmas '07, TOP-NO-SIS remained one of the top ten best-selling toys in the FAO SCHWARZ 5th AVE toy store. The LSX, a component of Topnosis, is the longest spinning top in the world. The current Guinness world record is 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 11 seconds.

One small spin for man, perhaps a giant turn of events for humankind!

http://www.topnosis.com