basic questions: if this person is now missing this clues, just assurance that a problem is solvable.
amount of functionality, is there some alternative If I go to bed frustrated, it isn’t because I didn’t
to a wheelchair that is both dramatically better solve a problem; it’s that I don’t know whether
and not prohibited by the laws of physics and the we are chasing some windmill over the horizon
current state of engineering and technology? or whether we are learning and making real
Focusing on the problem in this fundamental progress. I get emotionally stuck between two
way allowed us to understand that wheelchair conflicting lines of thought: [1] I shouldn’t give up
users need to have the same small footprint on at this. Giving up is for people with no courage,
the ground as you and I so they can navigate no vision, and no conviction. You don’t give up
around areas and obstacles as we do. They need on an important problem — ever; and, [2] I have
to have their eyes and hands at the same level as failed and failed and failed. Am I just being stub-
a standing person, so they can see over counters born? Stupid? People are tired and frustrated.
and get things down from shelves. They need to We don’t seem to be making progress. Am I just
be able to get water out of a faucet. And so on. In not quitting because I am in denial?
order to achieve any of these things, we looked at Then I think back on past projects where we
how fully functioning humans do it. They do it by were very close to quitting, but we went just a lit-
being dynamically stable — by constantly adjust- tle further and had a breakthrough. It really gives
ing themselves to maintain balance. Balance is a me a chill to think how close we were to quitting
prerequisite condition to living in a world that is and what would have been lost. And then other
architected by people who walk around balanc- times, we’d spend a year or two, spend a million
ing themselves. So we decided to forget about dollars, and fail to solve a problem. I’d think to
wheelchairs and focus on the real problem. The myself, “I should have quit over a year ago. I knew
real problem isn’t locomotion — wheels solve over a year ago that this wouldn’t work. Look at
that problem fine. The real problem is that these the human misery and anxiety and energy we put
people lost their ability to move around while into this to just shut it down. We could have shut
also physically elevating themselves within a it down over a year ago.”
small footprint, which requires dynamic stability. An unexpected success after you are that close
Solving this problem would dramatically improve to quitting really makes it hard to quit anything
their lives. else. It’s like trying to disprove the existence
of aliens. You can’t. So how can you prove to
yourself that you can’t do something? Especially
because once in a while, one that you didn’t
think you could do, you do! It’s that “once-in-
Not knowing if a problem is solvable. If I could a-while” event that distorts your judgment and
ask God for one thing, it wouldn’t be for a solu- perspective, so then you really start to second-
tion to a particular problem — that would make guess yourself. For example, we are working on
life boring. I would ask for assurance that a a system to bring potable water to 20% of the
problem is solvable given existing technology, population of this planet. For 60 years, huge
tools, and resources. I don’t want answers or international organizations such as the World
Bank and the United Nations have tried and
failed at this. Yet, I think a few people here at

Rumor has it that you don’t sleep much. What keeps you up at night?

DEKA is home to many Stirling engine DEKA can solve it. Part of me thinks, “You’re prototypes. Here, Kamen is discussing the nuts!” But another part of me thinks, “You can issue of the size-to-energy-density problem do this. The world needs this. Be courageous.” common to Stirlings, and how this model makes significant inroads to overcome this Read more of William Lidwell’s interview with problem. Dean Kamen at makezine.com/04/interview.

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