Emik Avakian

Background

Of Armenian descent, Emik Avakian was born in Tabriz, Persia in 1924. Avakian was born with a severe case of cerebral palsy, but this did not affect his cognitive abilities.

Education

He continued his education at Columbia University and graduated with a Master of Arts

Career

In order to seek medical assistance for Emik, the Avakian family traveled from Persia, to Russia, to Germany, and finally settling in New York City. By the age of thirteen, Emik was already fixing many electrical engineering problems around the household. degree. Throughout his years as a student, Avakian had trouble communicating with typists who would write down notes for him.

In order to overcome many of the difficulties he experienced in life, Avakian created a series of inventions.

One of his more notable inventions was a typewriter that would produce letter from breath rather than typing. The typewriter would operate according to breath measurement and sound that would be blown into four microphones.

Although the mechanism was slow, it was still more cost effective to use the device than to hire an assisting type writer Another significant invention was the information retrieval and storage apparatus which was a machine that could display library and archive information more quickly than other methods.

Information Storage, retrieval, and Handling Apparatus United States Patent northern

3,191,006 filed date: April 3, 1962, issue date: Junior 22, 1965. Energy Projecting and Scanning Apparatus United States Patent northern

3,283,147, filed date: May 9, 1962, issued date: November

1, 1966. Apparatus and System for Interconnecting Circuits and Electronic Components United States Patent northern 3,880,486 filed date: March

5, 1973 issued date: April 2, 1975. Data Entry Devices United States Patent northern

4,077,036, filed August 30, 1976, issued February 28, 1978.

Method of and Apparatus for Motorizing Manually Powered Vehicles United States Patent northern 5,186,269, filed date: November 7, 1991, issued date: February 16, 1993. Drive System for Wheelchairs or the like United States Patent northern

5,427,193, filed date: April

19, 1993, issued date: June 27, 1995. Vehicle Loading System United States Patent northern

5,242,257, filed date November 8, 1991, issued date: September

7, 1993. Flow Control System and Restrictor for use therein United States Patent northern

4,372,304, filed date: October 15, 1980, issue date: February 8, 1983.

Achievements

• In 1961, President of the United States John F. Kennedy honored Avakian for his outstanding contributions to handicap employment. Eminent Engineer Award (1979) Armenian Bicentennial Committee"s "Excellence in the Field of Science Award" (1976) Shah of Iran Crown Medal (1963) Honorary Doctorate Award of Eureka College (1996) In addition to his awards, Avakian was featured in renowned and local publications, including magazine and Mechanix Illustrated in 1952, 1953, and 1962.