 Dean Kamen is an inventor, an entrepreneur and a tireless advocate for science and technology. His roles as inventor and advocate are intertwined – his passion for technology and its practical uses has driven his personal determination to spread the word about technology’s virtues and its ability to change the culture of the United States. Kamen’s vast knowledge of the physical sciences, combined with his ability to integrate the fundamental laws of physics with the most modern technologies, has led to the development of breakthrough processes and products.
Kamen holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents, many of them for innovative medical devices that have expanded the frontiers of health care worldwide. While still a college undergraduate, he invented the first wearable infusion pump, which rapidly gained acceptance in medical specialties as diverse as chemotherapy, neonatology and endocrinology. In 1976, Kamen founded his first medical device company, AutoSyringe Inc., to manufacture and market the pumps. When he sold the company to Baxter International Corp., Kamen, just 30 years old, had added a number of other infusion devices, including the first insulin pump for diabetics. Following the sale of AutoSyringe, Kamen founded DEKA Research & Development Corp. with the mission of developing internally generated inventions and providing research and development for major corporate clients.
Among Kamen's proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology. He was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000, presented by President Bill Clinton in recognition of inventions that had advanced medical care worldwide and inspired innovative and imaginative leadership, awakening America to the excitement of science and technology. Kamen was also awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005.
Web sites: www.dekaresearch.com | www.usfirst.org
|
Print Page
