Elwood "Woody" Norris

From a very austere birth in Barrellville, to a home at the northern edge of Valley Road in Cumberland, to a multi-million dollar house in Southern California tells, in a few words, the story of a journey from rags to riches. Growing up without indoor plumbing was tough, as were other aspects of his Mormon upbringing, but to say Woody survived is merely the tip of the iceberg: his frst major invention, which he refered to as "Transcutaneous Doppler" evolved into the sonogram. His innovation of the digital recorder in 1994 led to a Popular Science Magazine "Best Of" pick, and he's developed the world's tiniest radio - at less than a quarter-ounce. He's invented a tracking device for wayward toddlers, and his current project is an ultralight helicopter; it weighs just 254 pounds and doesn't require a pilot's license. When he mentioned his idea to Boeing enginers briefly, he had two million dollars in his hands in twenty minutes; friends wanted in.
The FBI and the United States government are very interested in his Hypersonic Sound System, which can convince a person he or she is stranded in the Brazilian rain forest, at the foot of a monstrous waterfall, surrounded by ice cubes clinking in a glass, or it can immobolize an entire fleet of enemy ships. It won the Popular Science grand prize in 2002 as the best new invention of the year, beating out the Segway scooter. On a commercial side, his invention allows companies to tout their products to passing shoppers: "Wouldn't a Coke taste great right now?" would be heard only by the person targeted by the unit; it puts the sound inside their head, instead of out in the open for all to receive.
As the Chairman of American Technology Corporation he holds 54 U.S. patents, and over 300 patents world-wide. One is for advanced penetrating microwave radar technology capable of seeing plastic mines and other non-metallic objects. Other awards include those from Popular Science in 1993, from Business Week in 1993, from MacUser magazine that same year, and from Discover Magazine in 1997.
A New York Times article about Norris begins with: "The sound of Things to Come. Woody Norris has reinvented accoustics. Big news for the world of music. Bigger news for advertising

and crime-fighting and combat."

He's become involved in a film company, and, remembering his early days, named it Mount Savage Productions - after the small town where his mother was born. He says he'd like to buy the town - and maybe he could.

Producer Simon Cowell, of American Idol fame, approached Woody with an invitation to serve as a judge for a new show, "American Inventor." He had to turn him down; he had too much going on to spare the time.

Despite his engineering accomplishments, Woody says his proudest achievements are his eleven children. He predicts the best inventions of humankind are yet to come: "I can smell the trend," he says.