William H. Dobelle American biomedical researcher Date of Birth: 24.10.1941 Country: USA

Biography of William H. Dobelle

William H. Dobelle, an American biomedical researcher, was known for his groundbreaking work in developing experimental technologies that partially restored vision to blind patients. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003 alongside Dr. Willem Johan Kolff. Dobelle was also renowned for his passion for travel, having visited all continents, at least 125 countries, and all 50 states in the USA.

Born on October 24, 1941, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA, William Harvey 'Bill' Dobelle was the grandson of Lithuanian immigrants on his father's side. His mother, Lillian, came from a wealthy and politically influential Mendelsohn family. His father, Martin Dobelle, was a leading orthopedic surgeon who treated astronauts among other patients, and it was through his father that William developed an interest in medicine.

At the young age of 13, Dobelle invented an improved artificial hip joint and obtained a patent for his invention. He attended the college at Vanderbilt University at the age of 14 and became the winner of a science fair in Florida with his original X-ray machine a year later, earning him the opportunity to participate in the National Science Fair. After a period of traveling, he transferred to Johns Hopkins University, where he quickly became a prominent figure in the university's scientific community. Despite excelling in all disciplines, he failed his French exams twice. William completed his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biophysics and went on to complete his doctoral dissertation in Neurophysiology at the University of Utah.

Throughout his youth, Dobelle periodically diverted from his main research to pursue new and interesting endeavors. He traveled for several months at a time, sending postcards home from distant countries. It is also known that Dobelle hosted lavish banquets and had a particular fondness for crocodile meat.

Two of his most notable expeditions were organized in South America, where he was in charge of retracing the original route of Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa. He also spent a week in Antarctica. In his youth, William worked on a whaling ship and was a mechanic for Porsche. On his last IQ test, Dobelle scored 168 points. He was a staunch atheist throughout his life.

William served as the director of the Dobelle Institute in Portugal, which focused on artificial vision. In 1983, he acquired the Avery laboratories (now Avery Biomedical Devices), where he worked on developing an artificial eye and neurostimulation programs. Leading a team of scientists, Dobelle developed a brain implant that generated a visual field in front of the patient and transmitted impulses to the visual cortex of the brain. Such an implant allowed patients to perceive object outlines.

The invention gained widespread attention on January 17, 2000, when it was announced that a patient named Jerry, who had been blind for 36 years after a head injury, regained his ability to see thanks to Dobelle's artificial eye. With the help of glasses equipped with a miniature camera and an ultrasonic rangefinder, Jerry could perceive simple white points on a black background, which was a significant breakthrough.

Dobelle passed away on October 5, 2004, due to complications related to diabetes. He left behind his wife Claire and three children: Martin, Molly, and Mimi.