Dean Kamen

Dean Kamen is an engineer, inventor, and businessman who has made significant contributions to healthcare technology and science education. In his career, he has taken on the roles of inventor and advocate, using his passion for technology to drive his commitment to changing the cultural perspective on technological advancements in the United States.

Kamen holds more than 1,000 U.S. and foreign patents, a portfolio that spans a wide range of medical devices. As a college undergraduate, he invented the first wearable infusion pump, which saw widespread adoption across multiple medical specialties, such as oncology, neonatology, and endocrinology. In 1976, he founded AutoSyringe, Inc., to produce and sell these pumps. In conjunction with diabetes researchers, Kamen pioneered the design of the first portable insulin pump, which was shown to control patients’ blood glucose levels more effectively. He sold AutoSyringe to Baxter Healthcare Corporation at the age of 30.

Subsequent to the sale of AutoSyringe, Inc., Kamen founded DEKA Research & Development Corporation, a hub for developing inventions as well as a provider of research and development services for major corporate clients. Kamen directed DEKA's development of the HomeChoice™ peritoneal dialysis system for Baxter International Inc. Furthermore, teams led by Kamen at DEKA developed critical components of the UVARTM XTSTM System, an extracorporeal photophereisis device used in the treatment of T-Cell lymphoma. Notable inventions from DEKA also include the Hydroflex™ surgical irrigation pump, the Crown™ stent — an improvement on the original Palmaz-Schatz stent — the iBOT™ mobility device, the Segway® Human Transporter, and the advanced DEKA Arm System or "Luke," which offers advanced fine motor control for prosthetic arm replacements.

Over the years, Kamen has been recognized with a range of esteemed awards. In 2000, President Clinton awarded Kamen the National Medal of Technology. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1997 and received the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005 and was honored with the National Science Board's Public Service Award in 2018. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering and has received the ASME Medal and the Henry Laurence Gantt Medal in 2007, amongst other recognitions.

Outside his work at DEKA, Kamen has made significant contributions to science education. He founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) with the goal of inspiring the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology. Established in 1989, FIRST now serves more than 1,000,000 young people, ages 6 to 18, in more than 113 countries around the globe. Furthermore, he launched the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) and BioFabUSA, initiatives aimed at spurring biotechnological advancements. He has also been a keynote speaker at numerous events, including the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.