Dean Kamen is Featured Speaker at ‘‘Spirit of Innovation Luncheon’‘ on June 4

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, January 14, 2003 -- Dean Kamen, President, DEKA Research and Development Corporation and Chairman & CEO, Segway LLC, will be the featured speaker at the ‘‘Spirit of Innovation Luncheon’‘ at Noon on Wednesday, June 4, 2003, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

The ‘‘Spirit of Innovation Luncheon’‘ is sponsored by two trade shows taking place June 3-5 in Rosemont:  the International Robots & Vision Show and Conference and Sensors Expo & Conference.  Some 10,000 manufacturing leaders are expected to attend the two events. 

As an inventor, physicist and entrepreneur, Dean Kamen has dedicated his life to developing technologies that help people lead better lives. 

Among his accomplishments are the Segway™ Human Transporter, a breakthrough in personal transportation, and the Independence™ IBOT™ Mobility System, sophisticated mobility aid for the physically challenged designed to climb stairs,  traverse uneven terrain, and raise the user to eye level with a standing person.  He holds more than 150 U.S. and foreign patents, many of them for innovative medical devices that have expanded the frontiers of health care worldwide.

He also founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989, an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology.  The FIRST Robotics Competition, an annual event teaming professional engineers with high school students nationwide, breaks participation records every year and inspires students to pursue careers in science and technology.

Tickets to the luncheon cost $40 in advance and $50 onsite.  Tables of eight are available for $300.  For luncheon tickets and full details on the trade shows taking place June 3-5 in Rosemont, contact either Jeff Burnstein at the International Robots & Vision Show and Conference (jburnstein@robotics.org or 734/994-6088) or Carol Nelson at Sensors Expo & Conference (canelson@advanstar.com or 603/924-5420).  

Event details also are available at www.roboticsonline.com, www.machinevisiononline.org, and www.sensorsexpo.com.