Dean Kamen is the founder and president of DEKA Research & Development Corporation. Examples of technologies developed by DEKA include the HomeChoice™ portable dialysis machine, the iBOT™ Mobility System, the Segway™ Human Transporter, a DARPA-funded robotic arm, a new and improved Stirling engine, and the Slingshot water purifier. Kamen has received many awards for his efforts, including the National Medal of Technology in 2000 and the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005 and has been a member of the National Academy of Engineering since 1997. Among Kamen’s proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and FIRST® Global, organizations dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology.
About the Author: Chris Meek
Dr. Chris Meek is an American philanthropist and finance officer. Meek is the co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong, a charitable organization which provides support for U.S. service members and veterans. He is also the co-founder and chairman of START Now!, a non-profit which provides foreclosure counseling to homeowners, as well as senior director of global relationship management at S&P Global and a member of the Maxwell Advisory Board at Syracuse University.