Idahoans honored for innovation by technology hall of fame

Who? Physician-inventor Dr. Forrest Bird and software-analytics leader Bob Lokken will be inducted into the Idaho Technology Council Hall of Fame at 6 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Boise Centre.

Father of the respiratory industry: First introduced in 1955, Bird’s device was the first highly reliable, low-cost, mass-produced respirator in the world, saving millions of lives, the council said. Bird subsequently created a ventilator for infants, nicknamed the "Babybird," which is credited for playing a role in reducing the rate of breathing-related infant mortality from 70 percent to 10 percent. Bird, 91, still plays a role in working on medical devices to help people worldwide.

Full Story: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/08/28/2246723/technology-hall-of-fame-idahoans.html