Dean Kamen
American inventor and entrepeneur Dean Kamen designed, among various other inventions, the Segway gyroscopically stabilized personal vehicle. In 1989, Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a foundation dedicated to encouraging students to pursue careers in science and technology. FIRST provides teaching tools to schools and holds competitions for aspiring inventors and technologists.
Fast Facts
- Born: April 5, 1951 in Rockville Centre, New York
- Attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, but dropped out before finishing his education
- Father Jack Kamen is a comic book illustrator
- Awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000
- Received the United Nations Global Humanitarian Action Award in 2006
- Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005
Notable Inventions
- The AutoSyringe, a portable infusion device that automatically delivers drugs to medical patients
- A robotic prosthetic arm for veterans who have lost arms in combat
- The IBot all-terrain electric wheelchair
- The HomeChoice personal dialysis machine
Quote
"Our culture celebrates one thing: sports heroes. You have teenagers thinking they're going to make millions as NBA stars when that's not realistic for even 1 percent of them. Becoming a scientist or an engineer is."
Categories
