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David Packard Medal of Achievement & Innovator Awards — 2009 Winners

The TechAmerica Innovator Awards celebrate the innovators of technology for their contribution to our industry and society. These awards are uniquely focused on the person rather than the innovation or company. An outstanding innovator is selected from the following seven industry segments:

• Computer and Equipment
• Telecom Equipment
• Consumer Electronics
• Electronic Components
• Software
• CleanTech
• Internet

The recipients of the 2009 Innovator Awards were recognized at the TechAmerica Innovators Award Showcase and Reception preceding the dinner on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at the Fairmont San Jose Hotel.

2009 Medal of Achievement Recipient

John W. Thompson Chairman of the Board Symantec Corporation

John W. Thompson is chairman of the board of directors of Symantec Corporation. During his 10-year tenure as chief executive officer, he helped transform Symantec into a leader in security, storage and systems management solutions delivered to a broad base of customers, from individual consumers to the largest enterprises in the world.

With a broad range of business, civic and philanthropic interests, Thompson has been involved in a number of important projects primarily focused on infrastructure protection and the development of our nation’s youth. In September 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Thompson to the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee (NIAC), to make recommendations regarding the security of the critical infrastructure of the United States. In addition, Thompson has served as the chair of the Silicon Valley Blue Ribbon Task Force on Aviation Security and Technology to identify and evaluate technology-driven solutions to improve the security and efficiency of national and local aviation.

He serves on the national board of Teach for America, an organization dedicated to eliminating educational inequities for all children and in 2008 was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

On the business front, Thompson serves on the board of JovianDATA, an early stage company focused on delivering advanced business analytic services to a rapidly growing on-line advertising market. He also serves as a director on the boards of UPS, the world leader in global logistics, and Seagate Technology, the world leader disk-drive development and manufacturing.

Thompson completed his undergraduate studies at Florida A&M University and holds a master’s degree in management science from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. In addition, in May 2008, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Notre Dame University.

2009 Innovator Award Winners

Category: Computer & Equipment
Innovator: Victor Shtrom, Chief Wireless Architech/Founder, Ruckus Wireless; Innovation: Smart Wi-Fi

Smart Wi-Fi is actually a collection of technologies, all designed to extend the range and reliability of wireless signals. These technologies eliminate much of the cost and complexity of conventional wireless LAN (WLAN) deployments. Smart Wi-Fi includes recent technical advances in beam steering, beam forming, adaptive signal path selection, quality of service, traffic classification, and fancy RF routing. Ruckus Wireless was the first company to develop and deliver “Smart Wi-Fi” products and technology that extend Wi-Fi range and enhance reliability by automatically focusing and directing signals over the best performing paths while continuously steering signals away from interference. This breakthrough enabled the reliable transmission of digital, IP-based television transmissions over standard Wi-Fi along with a four-fold increase in wireless coverage and reliability. Today, organizations that are looking to deploy a Wi-Fi system have two choices: high-end or consumer-grade products. The former can provide a robust system capable of delivering an enterprise-class solution, but is costly and cumbersome. The latter, while considerably less expensive, lacks the security, management and features required for supporting hundreds or thousands of users. Enterprises are now using Ruckus products and Smart Wi-Fi technology to build more robust, adaptive and affordable wireless LAN environments within hotels, hospitals, schools, warehouses, branch offices and other locations where IT resources are sparse but the requirement for a secure and robust Wi-Fi infrastructure remains high.

Category: Telecom Equipment
Innovator: Dr. Jan Uddenfeldt, SVP & Senior Advisor Technology to CEO, Ericsson; Innovation: 2G, 3G (HSPA) Technology

Dr. Uddenfeldt is one of the inventors and industry drivers for 2G wireless GSM technology, as well as mobile broadband 3G (HSPA) technology. Dr. Jan Uddenfeldt has been with Ericsson since 1978, and became head of the Research at Ericsson Radio Systems in 1985. In 1990, he became Vice President of Research and Development, responsible for Ericsson’s cellular radio products. In 1998, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer for the Ericsson Group with responsibility for Ericsson´s worldwide activities in Research and Development. Since 2004, Dr Uddenfeldt has held the position as Senior Vice President and Senior Advisor, Technology to the Group CEO. In his current position, he is responsible for Technology Strategies and he is chairing, e.g., the Ericsson Research Board and the Ericsson Standardization Board. He is also responsible for handling Technology Alignment with leading operators worldwide. From August 2008, Dr Uddenfeldt relocated to San Jose, California while maintaining his position as Senior Vice President and Senior Advisor, Technology to the Group CEO. He is responsible for technology strategies and alignment with leading operators in USA, China and Japan. He is also responsible for establishing research and technology cooperation with leading Internet companies in USA to establish converged mobile and fixed internet. He has established technology co-operations with major telecom operators in USA, China, Japan and Europe, such as, AT&T, ChinaMobile, NTT DoCoMo, Vodafone, T-Mobile, etc.

Category: Consumer Electronics
Innovator: Stanley Yang, CEO, NeuroSky, Inc.; Innovation: Mind-Reading Headset

Under the leadership of Mr. Yang, NeuroSky has created the first consumer Brain to Computer Interface Technology. The ThinkGear technology, contained in a headset, provides real-time mental state information to the user, based on his or her brainwave patterns. NeuroSky has made its products cost effective and user friendly, allowing the substantial benefits of this technology to be applied to a wide array of industries for the first time. The technology is already being implemented into a variety of markets, including toys, video games, education, safety, health/wellness, marketing research, etc.

Products designed by key partners that incorporate the ThinkGear technology, such as Mattel Corporation and Uncle Milton Industries, are appearing in a number of consumer electronics outlets, including Walmart, Toy-R-Us, Amazon.com, etc.. Almost immediately, NeuroSky’s ThinkGear technology found itself at the heart of Silicon Valley – inside the San Jose Tech Museum – as well as in over 50 other museums around the country. Most interestingly, as the center piece of the new Star Wars Science series of games, ThinkGear for the first time has made it possible to simulate the famed “Jedi Force”.

The NeuroSky MindSet was launched into the consumer market this summer (www.neurosky.com) – allowing consumers to “get in touch with their minds” for the first time. With the accompaniment of the free MindSet development tools (the SDK), researchers, developers and a wide range of companies, are enabled to build applications that enhance the quality of our lives by utilizing the power of the mind.

Category: Electronic Components
Innovator: Balu Balakrishnan, President & CEO, Power Integrations, Inc.; Innovation: EcoSmart Energy-Efficiency Technology

Power Integrations’ EcoSmart technology drastically improves the efficiency of AC-DC power conversion, an essential function of nearly all electronic products and a major source of energy waste. Standby power (the power consumed by products in their “off” or “idle” states) alone accounts for perhaps 10% of residential electricity consumption; EcoSmart technology drastically reduces this waste, reducing it to virtually zero in many applications, without adding to the cost of the end product. The company estimates that this technology has saved $3.6 billion of standby power since 1998, along with millions of tons of CO2 emissions. The company has received numerous recognitions reflecting the environmental benefits of EcoSmart technology, including a 1999 Discover Award for Technological Innovation, a 2006 ENERGY STAR award and a 2006 Star of Energy Efficiency award from the Alliance to Save Energy.

Category: Software
Innovator: Scott Schumacher, Chief Scientist & Scott Ellard, Chief Technology Officer, Initiate Systems; Innovation: Probabilistic Searching

In the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Captain Jack Sparrow mentions the mysterious Isla de Muerta – a destination you can find only if you already know where it is. For 30 years, searching data was like traveling to the Isla de Muerta; one could only find a record if one already knew where to look. This was because databases were built using “deterministic” models, which means at the outset designers endeavored to determine all the rules for locating a piece of information before building an index for later searching. In other words, like Captain Sparrow’s adversaries, the navigators of the Royal Navy, one required a map and compass to find a destination. As a pirate unfettered by conventional methods, Sparrow had the edge on his pursuers; he relied on observation and experience to explore the vast unknown territories of the Caribbean. He can find Isla de Muerta without a map and compass. (Well, actually in the film, his compass is broken.) During the early 90s at data management software company Initiate Systems, technologists Scott Schumacher and Scott Ellard were charting their courses through the seas of database design. And like pirates of the Caribbean, they threw out conventional means of navigation. Early on, both realized that deterministic search just wouldn’t work in a world where the quantity of available data was exponentially expanding. The issue was deterministic approaches limit the speed and scale of a search. The traditional model breaks down when information “out there” isn’t on the map or one doesn’t know the direction to point a compass. Like any reputable swashbucklers, Schumacher and Ellard broke with tradition. Schumacher figuratively threw away the conventional compass. And Ellard figuratively threw away the conventional map. Schumacher, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California, developed an algorithm that directs a search using “probabilistic” principles. Rather than processing information like a machine with a predetermined set of rules, Schumacher designed an algorithm that works like a good pirate makes decisions – by gut. Ellard built a database index that works like a good pirate navigates – through experience rather than rote rules.

Category: CleanTech
Innovator: Rob Mead, Chief Architect, Advanced Air Traffic Management, The Boeing Company; Innovation: Tailored Arrivals

Tailored Arrivals is a method for providing fuel-efficient and minimum-noise approach clearances to aircraft arriving at an airport to land, for the entire approach from cruise altitude to touchdown. It is a developmental activity aimed at deploying a new means to provide the most beneficial flight path available as a result of the integration of all known aircraft performance, air traffic, airspace, meteorological, obstacle clearance and environmental constraints expected to be encountered during an arrival. Tailored Arrivals take advantage of air-ground data-link technologies to produce low-power, continuous descent approaches in which aircraft glide smoothly to runways with minimal power. In Tailored Arrivals, controllers, supported by ground automation, can look over aircraft flight paths from the top of descent to landing and “tailor” them to avoid conditions that might create additional fuel burn or increase environmental emissions. As the leader of the activity, Rob Mead is using Boeing’s world-wide reach to bring together a range of international partners comprised of airlines, industry and Air Navigation Service Providers to ensure globally interoperable solutions and procedures. Initial launch of the innovation was April to September 2004, Boeing, the Air Traffic Alliance (a grouping of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., Airbus and Thales), the Australian air carrier Qantas Airways and air navigation services provider Airservices Australia jointly conducted trials of Tailored Arrivals at airports in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. Results from more than 70 flights showed that actual arrival times were as little as 2 seconds and never more than 30 seconds off of predictions made 40 minutes in advance. Radio voice communications were nearly eliminated. Flight and simulation data showed potential fuel savings between 180 and 360 kilograms per flight.

Category: Internet
Innovator: Arthur R. Berrill, Vice President of Advanced Concepts and Technology, Pitney Bowes; Innovation: Pitney Bowes FireLocator

Pitney Bowes FireLocator is a free, public service website providing potentially life-saving, critical, reliable and timely location intelligence regarding wildfires to residents, government agencies, and media outlets. Armed with accurate fire location intelligence, agencies and news outlets can help residents make better informed decisions regarding their safest escape routes. When wildfires threaten lives and property – and there’s no single, consolidated place for readily accessing critical fire data — confusion reigns. In some cases, reliability of data is questionable. Urgent access to quality data is critical. Disparate data sources provide a user experience inconducive to enabling individuals to identify threats. By integrating up-to-the-minute data from multiple sources, the FireLocator website provides individuals, government agencies and media outlets with a reliable, timely and comprehensive view of where wildfires are happening, with detailed fire information, community generated imagery, fire-related news and multimedia content – all with a compelling user experience. Pitney Bowes FireLocator is the first and only solution to provide a consolidated view of potentially life-saving data directly to individuals.