The National Inventors Hall of Fame Historical Class of 2017

Earle Dickson Portrait by Johnson & Johnson ArchivesNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Earle Dickson

A staple in first-aid kits and bathroom cabinets for decades, the invention of BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages came from a Johnson & Johnson cotton buyer named Earle Dickson who sought a better, practical solution to an everyday problem. His success resulted in the first commercial dressing for small wounds that consumers could apply with ease, and created a market that continues to thrive today.

Earle Dickson's Bio

Surgical Dressing_Patent Drawing by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Adhesive Bandage_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Harold "Bud" Froehlich Portrait by Minnesota Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Harold Froehlich

Harold Froehlich worked for General Mills where he led the development of the deep-sea submersible Alvin. Alvin was able to hold three crew members and dive to more than 14,000 feet, its small size and maneuverability enabling valuable deep-sea research and discoveries.

Harold Froehlich's Bio

Alvin_Patent DrawingNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Alvin PhotographNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Haren Gandhi Portrait by The Gandhi FamilyNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Haren Gandhi

Haren Gandhi, a Ford Motor Company researcher, is credited for his research, development, and commercialization of automotive exhaust catalyst technology. His work with catalysts greatly improved the quality of exhaust by converting pollutants to harmless emissions, and enabled the catalytic converter to be more effective than ever before.

Haren Gandhi's Bio

Catalyst_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Gandhi Museum Display_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Howard Head Portrait by Howard Head Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian InstitutionNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Howard Head

Howard Head’s poor athletic skills led to the creation of technical revolutions that impacted the playing performance and economics of two major sports industries: skiing and tennis. His inventive redesigns of downhill skis and tennis rackets have benefited both professional and recreational participants. So effectively did his designs work that some sports buffs refer to him as “the patron saint of the average athlete.”

Howard Head's Bio

Ski_Patent DrawingNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Skis_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Beatrice Hicks Portrait by SWE National Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State UniversityNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Beatrice Hicks

Beatrice Hicks invented a gas density sensor used by the NASA space program. Her sensor activated a switch, indicating a leak, when there was a change in the density of artificial atmospheres protecting electronic equipment and other vital mechanisms, and was a critical breakthrough to enabling space travel.

Beatrice Hicks' Bio

Gas Density Sensor_Patent DrawingNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Allene Jeanes Portrait by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Allene Jeanes

Chemist Allene Jeanes is well-known for her work with the polysaccharides dextran and xanthan gum, largely conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northern Regional Research Lab (NRRL). She is one of the significant researchers credited with making NRRL, now known as the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, a leader in carbohydrate science.

Allene Jeanes' Bio

Xanthan Gum and Dextran Product_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Augustine Sackett Portrait by Anne MurrayNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Augustine Sackett

Few modern products have transformed construction as much as drywall. Sackett Board, the prototype for drywall, was patented by Augustine Sackett in 1894, and over the next century the evolution of his invention shaved weeks off the time needed to finish a building.

Augustine Sackett's Bio

Inside Wall Covering_Patent DrawingNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Sackett Board_2017 Inductee Exhibit by National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

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