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Hear For Yourself How Woody Norris Invented HyperSonic Sound 

Saturday, March 10, 2007
2:00 p.m.
Arlington Central Library
Main Branch
1015 N. Quincy Street
Arlington, VA

With dozens of patents to his name, Woody Norris' inventions range from
personal recording devices to a personal helicopter. Norris will share how
he developed many of his fascinating inventions in a free Smithsonian
program at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, designed to inspire young people
and families to think creatively. He will explain how the influences of a
childhood in western Maryland led him to become one of the nation's most
important contemporary inventors. In particular, Norris will demonstrate
HyperSonic Sound - sound that is focused into a narrow beam audible from
great distances. It is so precise that someone standing in the beam can hear
it, but someone just one foot away cannot. 

After starting his career in the U.S. Air Force as a nuclear weapons
specialist, Norris became director of the Engineering Experiment Station at
the University of Washington. After his first commercial invention in 1970,
he left the university to embark on his entrepreneurial career. In 2005, he
was awarded the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize for his contributions as an
inventor and innovator. 

Aside from speaking about his career and influences, Norris will answer
questions from the audience. Norris' appearance is part of the Innovative
Lives program of the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of
Invention and Innovation. Part of the National Museum of American History,
the Lemelson Center is dedicated to exploring invention in history and
encouraging inventive creativity in young people. 

The program will be held at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St.
in Arlington, Va. Free parking is available at the library; visitors also
may take Metrorail's orange line to the Ballston or Virginia Square
stations and walk a short distance to the library. Admission is free. For
Smithsonian information, call (202) 633-1000 (voice) or (202) 633-5285
(TTY), or visit invention.smithsonian.org. 



Tricia Edwards
Education Specialist
Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 604
Washington, DC  20013-7012
(202) 633.3451
(202) 357.4517 - fax
What does invention sound like?
Listen or subscribe to our podcast at:
http://invention.smithsonian.org/video 

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