Bluetooth and Artificial Organs: Dutch Inventors!

     It's 6:30 am. I'm merrily biking to the pool. Merrily, happily, sleepy and all. It's dark and chilly. I love dark and chilly and quiet, rustig. There's mist everywhere. It feels as if I were interrupting someone's spell. While at it, I'm listening to a Dutch podcast, Zeg Het in Het Nederlands. (We've talked about it before.) It's episode #11. It includes the story behind the Bluetooth, and I think to myself..."what a wonderful world..." Just kidding! I do think, "How interesting. Just now my earphones are connected via Bluetooth to my phone, and the app Schwung is using the same technology as well."

     Later, after having swum, taught, cleaned and cooked, I asked my sweetheart, "Did you know a Dutch guy invented the Bluetooth?" He said it didn't sound like it. He said maybe a Danish. At first, I hesitated since my Dutch is not so good (een beetje slecht) and many, many times I do get things wrong. But did I really not get it at all? I couldn't just not find out. So, what did I do next? 1. Sit in front of my computer. 2. Play the podcast again and take notes. 3. Do some extra online research. The result? I learned the truth about the Bluetooth and found out who is the father of artificial organs. 

Bluetooth

Who invented it?
     Jaap Harten, a Dutch electrical engineer. He graduated, twice, from Delft University of Technology and, for the curious Eindhovenaars, spent some time working at Philips in Eindhoven. Later, while working for the Swedish company Ericsson, he laid the foundations for the Bluetooth Wireless Technology. 


Why is it called Bluetooth?
     Once upon a time, during the 10th century, tiende eeuw, there was a king named Harald Gormsson, nicknamed Blauwtand (literally "blue tooth"). He's responsible for uniting the tribes of Denmark. Because the objective was to find the technology that could unite devices, the team at Ericsson decided to codename the project "Bluetooth". Later, since no better name could be found, this one remained. 

Could Jaap explain how this happened?
     Sure! Here he is and will tell you about it!

Hemodialysis

Who invented the first working artificial kidney?
     Willem Johan Kolff, during the Second World War. He studied medicine at Leiden University and obtained his Ph.D. from Groningen University. 


Which are his contributions?

     In order to make him justice, one would have to write a post entirely about his achievements, and still, it wouldn't be enough. To begin with, he organized the first blood bank in Europe. During WWII, he was part of the resistance. It's said, "...he hid more than 800 persons in his hospital..." It was also during this time that he developed the first working artificial kidney and heart, "...using orange-juice cans, used auto parts, and sausage casings." After moving to the US, he developed the membrane oxygenator which is still used during a cardiopulmonary bypass circuit in open-heart surgery. If you would like to learn more, I invite you to practice your Dutch by watching this video.


     After learning from these extraordinary lives, I reflect on how we tend to forget how blessed we are. It's about the little and big things. It's about deeply feeling the here and now, and never stop wondering. As Gza said, 

"Live a life full of humility, gratitude, intellectual curiosity, and never stop learning."

Tot de volgende keer!