Elwood Norris

Elwood "Woody" G. Norris won the 2005 $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize as Inventor of the Year. He holds 55 U.S. patents with more than 100 corresponding patents worldwide. He is widely recognized as a prolific inventor and a talented technology integrator. His interest in electronics started at a young age, with a rigorous experimentation method of inventing that he continues to this day.

Norris joined the U.S. Air Force in 1956 and was trained as a Nuclear Weapons Specialist, specializing in electronic fusing systems. He studied electronics at the University of New Mexico. In 1959, he began employment at the University of Washington where he continued his practical education, elevating his position from technician to Director of the Engineering Experiment Station within two years.

Upon conceiving his first commercial invention in 1970, Norris left the university and embarked on his entrepreneurial career. He invented a phonograph tone arm that initially was developed for a contest, and was later sold for a modest $20,000.

Norris has invented and patented over 20 diverse product ideas and technological breakthroughs. His inventions have been the keystone for several new companies. In 1980, he founded American Technology Corporation (ATC) where he recently retired as Chairman. ATC (now LRAD) is publicly traded and is marketing products to customers around the world.

Currently, Norris is the Chairman and President of his new venture, Parametric Sound(TM) where he is marketing and selling the new and improved HyperSonic Sound.