Inventors and Patents From the City of Westport

In the city of Westport, Connecticut, there are many inventors and entrepreneurs. The town’s economy is based on shellfish harvesting, fishing, and seafood processing, as well as tourism and boat building. In recent years, boat building has been an important part of the local economy.

Leonard Flom

In addition to his involvement in inventions, Flom was also a physician and co-founder of the IrisScan biometric identification system, now considered the most accurate biometric system. He also served as a professor at Yale University and the NYU School of Medicine. After retiring from private practice, Flom remained on the faculty at NYU and conducted research at the Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Ramla, Israel.

Flom was born in Poland and attended New York University as a teenager. After graduating from college, he pursued a career in ophthalmology. He went on to become a board-certified ophthalmic surgeon. Flom was also a member of the United States Army Medical Corps, serving as a first lieutenant. He was stationed in Trieste, Italy during the Korean War. He later established his own private medical practice in Fairfield and practiced medicine for almost 50 years.

In the 1970s, Flom had the idea for iris biometric identification. His colleagues were skeptical and argued that iris biometrics were impossible. They argued that the pupil moved constantly. However, after two years of research, Flom found a willing ally and was able to submit his patent to Washington, D.C.

Another biometric identification system that relies on iris characteristics is the iris recognition system. It works by illuminating the eye and taking a photo of the iris. Then, it compares that image against a database of stored data. The technology is considered to be the most accurate biometric identification system.

Adirondack chair

The Adirondack chair’s enduring popularity can be traced back to its inventors. In 1938, a man named Irving Wolpin patented the concept, which later became an iconic American design. Wolpin’s chair featured slats as the seat and back. Today, these chairs are available in a variety of materials and come with features including rocker bottoms and extended seats.

The original Westport chair is easily recognizable, because of the patent number (US79477A) stamped on its back. However, modern resin Adirondack chairs cost as little as $20, despite their patent number. If you’re a fan of Thomas Lee, you can even try building an Adirondack chair out of old lumber. Just make sure you have your patent application ready before sitting down on your new creation!

Thomas Lee, the man who invented the first Adirondack chair, invented the first one in 1903. He was a Harvard graduate who had dropped out of law school. He wanted to design a sturdy chair for his family and the Adirondacks. He designed prototypes and tested them with family members to determine the perfect fit. In the end, he came up with a chair that was both comfortable and durable, and included high armrests and a slanted seat.

Adirondack chairs feature multiple ribs. The ribs can be molded into the back of the chair or may be attached by connectors or bonding.

Heated mats

The heating mat is a simple yet effective way to melt snow off of walkways and driveways. It is lightweight and has flat heating elements sandwiched between layers of polymer. It is placed in the desired location before snow falls. It can be cut to the desired length and shape. It also features outlets that can be turned on manually or remotely.

The heat generated by the electrical conducting means 14 is easily conducted to the upper surface of the mat through direct contact with a thin metal sheet 16 and a heat conducting material 15 on each side of the upper sheet. This ensures even heating and a low temperature gradient. The invention is a breakthrough in heating for both indoors and outdoor environments. The City of Westport is grateful to its inventors for advancing the technology and making it available to the public.

Leonard Flom’s gold medal

A gold medal for inventors and patents was awarded to Leonard Flom by the City of Westport on December 19, 2013. His inventions are widely used, including a system that recognizes a baby’s iris. His system is based on a complex algorithm and is used for security purposes around the country. He patented the multi-biometric algorithm, which measures a baby’s iris, fingerprint, and ear.

The iris is considered one of the most accurate ways to identify a person, and is a unique feature. It can even be used as an authentication method. Flom and his colleague Aaron Safir developed iris recognition biometric algorithms that are considered the most accurate biometric identification systems.

Leonard Flom’s patents

Inductees in the National Inventors Hall of Fame are limited to 500 people, and Leonard Flom is one of them. Besides his inventions, he was also a resident of Westport for 60 years. His family includes his wife Marilyn and two children, Jon and Cherie Flom and Sara and Kevin Chason. Flom’s grandchildren include Sam and Jake Quain, Julie and Danielle Flom, and Sydney and Ben Chason. His nieces and nephews are also members of his extended family.

Flom’s idea to use iris recognition to identify people came from his idea that a person’s iris changes colors when they are envious. He and his coworker Aran Safir were able to perfect this idea. This technology was appealing because of its speed, high accuracy, and lack of contact with a subject.

Westport Fuel Systems

The longest gap between patent filing and grant in the state of Connecticut was more than 1,200 days for the newest Westport patent. It was filed on Jan. 10, 2019 and approved May 17, 2022. But patents are not a guarantee of success. According to Dennis Crouch, co-director of the Center for Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship in Westport, the city’s inventors can’t always count on the patenting process alone.