Download Recent Cornell Engineering Alumni Inventors

Cornell Engineering Alumni Inventors
Jeffrey C. Hawkins (B.S.1979, EE)
Jerry M. Woodall (Ph.D. 1982, EE)
Former founder of Palm Computing
Current CEO, Handspring
Pioneer in Research and Development
of Compound Semiconductor Materials
and Devices
57 Patents Relating to Handheld Computing Worldwide
Robert S. Langer (B.S. 1970, ChemE)
Biomedical Applications of Polymers
After Cornell, Robert Langer graduated from MIT with a Ph.D. in 1974. He is now the Kenneth J. Germeshausen Professor of
Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
USD466115 (2002)
Personal digital assistant
Handspring, Inc., with
Peter Skillman, Martin
Bone
One of history’s most prolific inventors in medicine, Dr. Langer's 500 issued and pending patents have been licensed or
sublicensed to over 100 pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and medical device companies; a number of these
companies were launched on the basis of these patent licenses. Langer pioneered the field of controlled drug delivery using
biodegradable polymers. He was the first to engineer synthetic materials that allow for the precisely timed release of
chemicals through surgical implants inserted directly within the diseased tissue. Langer's controlled delivery techniques
have been used to treat brain cancer right at the source instead of through damaging chemotherapy. Through Langer's
innovations, the controlled drug delivery industry has become a multibillion-dollar-a-year business that prolongs and saves
thousands of lives.
Dr. Langer's most recent work is with tissue engineering and human tissue regeneration. His goal is to engineer a synthetic
framework on which to grow human cells.
He has patents in magnetically controlled drug-release implants, transdermal ultrasound drug delivery, 3D polymer scaffolds
for growing human tissue, microchip drug delivery, and biocompatible shape-memory polymers that return to predetermined
forms once inside the body.
Mr. Hawkins is also founder and director of the non-profit
Redwood Neuroscience Institute, a scientific research institute
working on theories and mathematical models of brain
function (www.rni.org).
Dr. Langer is the only active member of all three US National Academies-- Engineering, Sciences, and
Medicine.
- from http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/langer1.html, http://www.techtv.com/bigthinkers/
US5900875 (1999)
Method and apparatus for interacting
with a portable computer system
3Com Corporation, with
Robert Yuji Haitani,
Received National Medal of Technology award at White House, 2002.
Currently C. Baldwin Sawyer Professor of Electrical Engineering, Yale University
Fully half of the world's annual sales of compound semiconductor components are based on
Woodall's pioneering research in that area, and he is the inventor of many electronic and
optoelectronic devices commonly seen in modern life, including the red light-emitting diodes
(LEDs) used in indicators and stop lights; the infrared LEDs used in CD players, TV remote
controls and computer networks; the high-speed transistors used in cell phones and satellites;
and high-efficiency solar cells used to power satellites.
He built the first high-purity single crystals of gallium arsenide, enabling the first definitive
measurements of carrier velocity versus electric field relationships, as well as gallium arsenide
crystals used for the first non-supercooled injection laser. He and Hans Rupprecht pioneered
the liquid-phase epitaxial growth of high efficiency infrared LEDs, and gallium aluminum
arsenide (GaAlAs), which led to his most important research contribution so far: the first
working gallium aluminum arsenide/gallium arsenide heterojunction, the interface between two
different semiconductor materials. This remains the world's most important compound
semiconductor heterojunction.
Dr. Woodall co-founded LightSpin Technologies, Inc., a high technology startup company, and
serves as its Chief Science Officer. He hold 67 patents.
- from http://www.eng.yale.edu/faculty/vita/Woodall_WH_background_info.htm
Selected Patents:
US 4316048 (1982) Annealing of ion implanted III-V compounds in the presence of another III-V,
with Hans S. Rupprecht
US4352117 91982) Electron source, with Cuomo; Jerome J. Cuomo, Russell W Dreyfus
US4379005 (1983) Semiconductor device fabrication, with Harold J. Hovel
US4460910 (1984) Heterojunction semiconductor, Barbara A. Chappell, Terry I. Chappell
US4477721 (1984) Electro-optic signal conversion, with Terry I. Chappell, Dieter W. Pohl
US4358291 (1982) Solid state renewable energy supply, with Jerome J. Cuomo
US5759830 (1998)
US5797898 (1998)
Microchip drug delivery devices
with John T. Santini, Jr.,
Michael J. Cima
Three-dimensional fibrous
scaffold containing attached
cells for producing
vascularized tissue in vivo,
with Joseph P. Vacanti
US4316048 (1982)
US4351706 (1982)
Energy
conversion
Electrochemically
eroding semiconductor
device, with Terry I.
Chappell, George D.
Pettit
Selected Patents:
US20030046528 (application) Method and apparatus for interacting with a portable computer system,
with Robert Yuji Haitani
US6516202 (2003) Mobile computer system designed for wireless communication expansion, with
Jerome C. Tu, Robert Y. Haitani, Christie L. Cadwell, Karl A. Townsend
USD467235 (2002) Hand-held device with handwriting area, with Peter N. Skillman, Michael A.
Yurochko
US6493464 (2002) Multiple pen stroke character set and handwriting recognition system with
immediate response, with Joseph Kahn Sipher, Ron Marianetti II
USD466877 (2002) Hand-held device with keyboard, with Peter N. Skillman
USD466502 (2002) Flip door for personal digital assistant, with Peter Skillman, Melissa Trott, Martin
Bone
David F. Welch (Ph.D. 1985, EE)
Other Selected Patents:
US4891225 (1990) Bioerodible polyanhydrides for controlled drug delivery, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, with Howard Rosen
US4391797 (1983) Systems for the controlled release of macromolecules, The Children's Hospital
Medical Center, with Moses J. Folkman
David M. Lederman, (Ph.D. 1966, EP)
Artificial Heart
Allyson D. Yarbrough (M.S. 1985, Ph.D. 1988, ECE)
Micromachined Electronic and Electromechanical
Systems
CEO, Abiomed
Pioneer in Semiconductor Laser and
Optoelectronic Technology
David Welch, Ph.D. is the Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Infinera, a fiber optic
systems company founded in 2001. Infinera is focused on creating new strategic advantages
for customers through innovative and disruptive technologies.
Prior to this he was CTO and Vice President of Corporate Development for SDL where his
responsibilities include overall technology direction and merger/acquisitions. Dr. Welch
joined SDL, Inc. in 1985 as a research scientist and has also held positions of Vice President
of R&D and Vice President of the Systems Business Group. He has worked on the
development of advanced optical technologies for fiber optic communications, and has
published over 250 articles and authored over 50 patents.
Dr. Welch received his BSEE degree from The University of Delaware in 1981 and his Ph.D.
degree from Cornell University in 1985. -from http://www.infinera.com/about/bio_david.html
Selected Patents:
US6433920 (2002) Ramon-based utility optical
amplifier, with Robert J. Lang, Edward C. Vail,
Mehrdad Ziari (pictured at right)
US5392308 (1995) Semiconductor laser with integral
spatial mode filter, with David G. Mehuys,
Donald R. Scifres (pictured at right)
US5384797 (1995) Monolithic multi-wavelength laser
diode array, with Robert G. Waarts, Jo S.
Major, Ross D. Bringans, David K. Fork, G.A.
Neville Connell, Robert L. Thornton (pictured
at right)
US5800528 (1998) Passive girdle for heart ventricle
therapeutic aid to patients having ventricular dilatation
“The AbioCor device itself is totally implantable. An external tool - a coil - transfers battery power through
the skin and into the device. A full charge can last 30 to 40 minutes. The external portion can also be plugged
into an electric outlet if the patient remains in one area.” -www.masshightech.com
Dr. Lederman has 6 U.S. patents relating to the artificial heart..
US6508756 (2003) Passive cardiac assistance device, with Robert T. V. Kung,, Meir Rosenberg
US6224540 (2001) Passive girdle for heart ventricle for therapeutic aid to patients having ventricular
dilatation, with Robert T. V. Kung
US6210318 (2001) Stented balloon pump system and method for using same
US5800528 (1998) Passive girdle for heart ventricle for therapeutic aid to patients having ventricular
US4888009 (1989)
dilatation, with Robert T. V. Kung
US4,902,272 (1990) Intra-arterial cardiac support system, with Frederic L. Milder, Robert T. V. Kung, Param L. Prosthetic heart
valve
Singh
US4,888,009 (1989) Prosthetic heart valve, with Param I. Singh, Clair L. Strohl, Jr.
Principal Director,
Electronics Engineering
Subdivision, The
Aerospace Corporation
US Patent 6045712 (2000)
Micromachined reflector
antenna method
US Patent 6072686 (2000)
Micromachined rotating
integrated switch
Allyson Yarbrough (B.S. EE, New Mexico State University, MS, Ph.D (both ECE) Cornell
University), spent three years with Hewlett-Packard Company's Network Measurement
Division as a Product Marketing/Microwave Applications Engineer. In 1988, Dr. Yarbrough
joined California State University, Los Angeles as an Associate Professor of Electrical
Engineering. In 1989 she joined The Aerospace Corporation and has held numerous
positions, each with more responsibility. Dr. Yarbrough is currently Principal Director,
Electronics Engineering Subdivision. She is responsible for overseeing projects
involving the full spectrum of space system electronics engineering from the
microelectronic piece-part level to the level of systems and subsystems for launch
vehicles and satellites. She holds 5 patents and has published extensively.
– from http://www.ece.nmsu.edu/ecea/ayarbro.html
US6238580 (2001) Method of HF vapor release of microstructures, with Robert C. Cole,
Ruby E. Robertson
US6072686 (2000) Micromachined rotating integrated switch
US6045712 (2000) Micromachined reflector antenna method, with Samuel S. Osofsky,
Ruby E. Robertson, Robert C. Cole
US6008776 (1999) Micromachined monolithic reflector antenna system, with Samuel S.
Osofsky, Ruby E. Robertson, Robert C. Cole
US5525819 (1996) Microwave concentric mesfet with inherent electromagnetic shielding