John Anderson (inventor) facts for kids
John Anderson (born 1942, died April 7, 2012) was a very important scientist and engineer. He helped start two companies, Intelesens Ltd. and HeartSine® Technologies Inc. These companies made special medical devices. He also led a big engineering center and taught at a university.
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A Pioneer in Medical Technology
John Anderson was a co-founder and a top technology officer for Intelesens Ltd. and HeartSine® Technologies Inc. He started the Northern Ireland Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC) and was its first leader. He also led the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.
Helping Hearts with New Inventions
In 1967, John Anderson was in charge of bioengineering at the Royal Victoria Hospital. This was when the world's first mobile coronary care unit was launched. This unit could help people with heart problems right away, even outside the hospital.
Working with Frank Pantridge
Professor Frank Pantridge created the world's first portable defibrillator. This device could be used outside a hospital to help people whose hearts had stopped. John Anderson worked closely with Professor Pantridge to develop this life-saving machine. This portable defibrillator was later made and sold all over the world.
His Amazing Achievements
John Anderson earned special degrees in bioengineering. In 1990, he became a professor in medical electronics. He was also a founding member of the Biological Engineering Society in 1994. He was a certified scientist and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
He wrote more than 300 scientific papers about bioengineering. He also held 40 patents, which means he invented many things! John Anderson helped create the technology used in many defibrillators today. This includes devices that work semi-automatically or can even be controlled by telephone. His work focused on treating sudden cardiac arrest quickly.
Building New Companies
In 2002, John Anderson received a special UK Business Fellowship. Only twelve people in the UK got this award that year. During his career, he helped start ten new companies. All of these companies focused on medical engineering, creating new tools to help people's health.
