Dean Kamen

Biography

An inventor and physicist, Dean Kamen has dedicated his life to developing innovative technologies that dramatically improve healthcare and help people lead better lives. While a college undergraduate, Dean Kamen invented a wearable infusion pump that reliably administered precise doses of medication to patients with a variety of medical conditions. The device gained rapid acceptance from medical specialties such as chemotherapy, neonatology and endocrinology. In 1976, he founded AutoSyringe, Inc. to manufacture and market the pumps. Mr. Kamen founded DEKA Research & Development Corp. in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1982. Some notable healthcare products and technologies developed at DEKA include the HomeChoice™ portable dialysis machine, a breakthrough device for individuals with chronic renal failure, and the Independence™ iBOT™ 3000 Mobility System, a quantum improvement in wheelchair technology.

Among his proudest accomplishments is the creation of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating young people to understand, use and enjoy science and technology.This year, there are almost 7,000 FIRST teams around the world involving over 84,000 students.