James Fruchterman - MacArthur Fellow 2006

James Fruchterman
Technologist
Chairman and Founder
The Benetech Initiative
Palo Alto, CA
Age: 47

James Fruchterman is an electrical engineer-turned-entrepreneur who adapts
cutting-edge technologies into affordable devices for the visually impaired
and others underserved by traditional commerce. As a student, Fruchterman
designed a reading machine for the blind using optical-character-recognition
technology originally intended for military defense purposes. Determined to
keep the cost of his reading machine within reach of the largest number of
users, Fruchterman founded the non-profit company, Arkenstone, to develop and
manufacture the system. He has since delivered this reading tool in a dozen
languages to people in 60 countries and created a stream of other inventions
for the visually impaired, including Open Book, a PC software program that
reads scanned texts ranging from school books to utility bills, Atlas Speaks
map software, and Strider, a talking GPS locator. In 2000, Fruchterman
founded another non-profit, Benetech, as an incubator for socially-oriented
technology applications. With Bookshare.org, Benetech has created a web-based
library of scanned books to provide people with visual or learning
disabilities downloadable access to a dramatically increased volume of
printed materials. Other initiatives include Martus, a secure, computer-based
reporting system to assist the human rights sector in collecting,
safeguarding, and disseminating information about human rights violations,
and a Landmine Detector Project with the goal of placing state-of-the-art
detection devices in the hands of humanitarian deminers in war-torn
countries. Fruchterman puts existing technologies to use in innovative ways
to make life-changing machines for those who need them most.  

James Fruchterman received a BS (1980) in engineering  and an MS (1980) in
applied physics from the California Institute of Technology and pursued
doctoral studies at Stanford University (1980-1981). Prior to founding
Benetech, where he serves as president, CEO, and chairman, he was president,
CEO, and chairman of Arkenstone, Inc. (1989-2000) and co-founder and vice
president of Calera Recognition Systems, Inc. (1982-1989). Fruchterman also
served as co-founder and CFO of RAF Technology, Inc. (1989-2004).  

From: http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.2070789/apps/nl/content2.asp?content_id={61C9720A-B45B-4C21-9ACC-B429F0503D12}&notoc=1

Photo of James Fruchterman
http://www.macfound.org/atf/cf/{B0386CE3-8B29-4162-8098-E466FB856794}/fellowf.jpeg

Benetech Initiative
http://www.benetech.org/

Benetech Press Release
http://www.benetech.org/about/press_releases/PR_2006-09-18_MacArthur.shtml

