NEWS
TED Talk Will Feature Local Inventor With ALS
Davidson resident Roger Faulkner when he taped his TED Talk last October. (Bill Giduz photo)
Roger Faulkner, the Davidson resident/inventor who has been living with ALS disease for the past five years, will tell his tale in a Charlotte TED talk Thursday, January 28. The show, TEDXCharlotte 10: Episode 1, will run from 8–9:45 p.m. Roger will be among six featured presenters for that evening’s broadcast, which was taped in mid-October. Space for the virtual broadcast is limited, but while they are available, Eventbrite tickets are here.
Roger has invented a “conformal vest ventilator” to enable anyone with severely compromised lungs to breathe more easily. It is worn like a standard vest, but gently squeezes and releases around the chest to manage breathing for the patient. He has formed a C corporation, Rethink Respironics, and filed for an international patent application and FDA approval to promote the vest.
Roger says that his appearance isn’t self-centered, but he hopes it leads to a financial boost. “My long-term disability insurance ran out, and I’m on the clock for getting my inventions monetized before I wind up in a Medicaid facility, which would shorten my life,” he said.
“My goal is to change the world in a positive way,” he said. “But to keep promoting the vest, I have to live independently. My ALS means I need 24/7 care. Though it’s almost always a fatal disease, I think of Stephen Hawking, who managed to be a real contributor for many years with ALS.”
Bill Giduz
Bill Giduz was the son who followed his father’s footsteps into journalism. He has been involved his entire life with news and photography in schools he attended and jobs he’s held. He believes now that he’s got a few good years left to devote to The News of Davidson.