Dean Kamen, the entrepreneur whose inventions include the Segway scooter, will kick off the opening general session of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers' Cable-Tec Expo 2012 next month in Orlando, Fla., in a keynote interview with Time Warner Cable chief technology officer Mike LaJoie.
Kamen, founder of DEKA Research and Development Corp., will take the stage with LaJoie for a conversation-style keynote the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 17. The duo will cover a range of topics including innovation, preparing the next-generation cable workforce and how cable's advanced broadband networks can be integrated in new e-medicine applications.
Kamen, who holds 440 U.S. and foreign patents, invented the first wearable infusion pump while still a college undergraduate and founded his first medical device company, AutoSyringe, in 1976. He founded DEKA following the sale of AutoSyringe to Baxter Healthcare and has gone on to invent other medical devices as well as the Segway personal transporter.
DEKA currently is working on a power source that leverages the principles of the Stirling Engine to efficiently convert almost any fuel into electrical power in a way that is clean, quiet, easy to use, easy to maintain and has a long operating life, according to the company.
"From the insulin pump to the Segway to programs for the young, Dean Kamen's imagination, entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to take risks have enriched the lives of millions of people around the world," LaJoie, who also is chairman of SCTE's board, said in a statement. "We're honored to have him in our midst at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo, and look forward to learning how his approaches to innovation can benefit cable engineering and operations professionals."
Commented Kamen, "The history of cable technology is one of identifying and solving problems. As the industry expands the quantity and quality of services in the future, it will be essential for there to be an ample supply of critical resources, including talented workers, power availability and innovative products."
In addition to DEKA, Kamen founded FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, an organization dedicated to motivating young people to understand, use and enjoy science and technology. The FIRST program this year will serve more than 250,000 people aged 6 to 18 in more than 50 countries around the globe.
Cable-Tec Expo 2012 is set to run Oct. 17-19 at the Orange County Convention Center following a preconference event, the Digital Home Symposium, on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The 2012 CTAM Summit is scheduled for Oct. 14-16 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort.
The Cable-Tec Expo opening general session lineup on Oct. 17, from 8:30 to 12 p.m., also will include a panel discussion of chief technology officers from small and midsize cable operators. Those CTOs are Michael Giobbi, CTO of Armstrong Communications; Wade Holmes, vice president of technology for BendBroadband; Joseph D. Jensen, CTO of Buckeye CableSystem; and Kelly Rehm, technical operations manager and general manager of Massillon Cable TV/Clear Picture.
