Born: 1951 (Dossenheim-Kochersberg, France)
Biography:
Martine Kempf is a French computer scientist known for her invention of the Katalavox in 1985, a computer-based voice activation system. She was born in 1951 in Dossenheim-Kochersberg, France, to Jean-Pierre Kempf and Brigitte Maguerite Klockenbring Kempf.
Kempf’s interest in electronics and software began during her time at Friedrich Wilhelm University in Bonn, where she pursued a major in astronomy from 1981 to 1983. It was at university that Kempf became inspired to create a voice recognition system after observing German teenagers who were born without arms due to their mothers’ use of thalidomide during pregnancy. She believed that a voice activation system could enable those with physical difficulties to drive cars and facilitate microsurgery by allowing surgeons to use voice commands to operate magnifying devices.
Having a father, Jean-Pierre Kempf, who was paralyzed from the waist down, further motivated Kempf’s passion for finding innovative solutions for individuals with physical disabilities. Her father, who had lost the use of his legs due to polio at a young age, designed his own car modifications to make it accessible for him to drive. His creations gained popularity and led him to establish his own company, becoming France’s leading manufacturer of driving aids. Jean-Pierre’s inventions, such as the digital accelerator ring and main hand brake, became the standard hand controls for driving in France.
In 1985, Martine Kempf aimed to establish her own company in France but was denied a loan by the socialist French government. Undeterred, she made the decision to move to Silicon Valley, where she founded a company focused on adapting surgical microscopes. This venture eventually allowed her to become her father’s supplier in the mid-1990s and revive his company in France under the name KEMPF SAS.
Today, Martine Kempf serves as the CEO of KEMPF Inc., as well as the president of KEMPF SAS and the founder of Kempf Beijing Technology Co Ltd. Her companies specialize in adapting vehicles for drivers with disabilities, ranging from trucks and vans to minivans, SUVs, cars, and even sports cars. KEMPF SAS operates in Europe, while Kempf Beijing Technology Co Ltd. serves China.
Driven by a self-taught understanding of electronics, Kempf continuously designs cutting-edge technologies with a focus on improving the lives of individuals with physical disabilities. Her work has revolutionized the way people with disabilities drive and has paved the way for advancements in surgical microscopes.