1946-

American Physician and Bioengineer

Robert Jarvik is known for his design of an artificial heart. This mechanical device, known as the Jarvik-7, was used with some success during the mid-1980s to permanently replace a diseased heart or to be used temporarily with individuals waiting for a human donor. Although the Jarvik-7 is no longer in use, this mechanical heart prolonged the lives of nearly 50 people and contributed significant information to our understanding of how artificial organs work and how they can be improved upon.

Jarvik, the son of a physician, was a child who enjoyed mentally disassembling things and putting them back together. At age 8 he was building elaborate model boats and airplanes. When he was 16 years old, after watching several surgical procedures with his surgeon father, he invented an automatic surgical stapler that simplified clamping and tying blood vessels. This was...