January 7th
Died 7 Jan 1998 at age 85 (born 20 Aug 1912).
The American inventor of the peristaltic pump that enabled open heart surgery. It met the need to pump blood without damaging cells through methods of expansion and contraction that mimic the way peristalsis moves the contents of the gastrointestinal tract. The pump is also suitable for kidney dialysis and food processing (to pump canned soup without chopping peas or celery). He decided to invent an aircraft boarding ramp when he saw passengers running towards the terminal in the rain one day at Miami International Airport in 1951. He has obtained a total of 75 patents, including TV antenna rotators, electric carving knives, high-speed dental drills, electric child seats, and audible pressure cookers.
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