The Ripple Effect

Imagine throwing a stone into a lake.  What happens?  From the moment the stone hits the water, it begins to create waves that ripple in every direction.  Similarly in life, what you do can and will affect those around you…sometimes even beyond your own imagination.

Woody Wurster is someone who has masterfully created a ripple effect who’s end result has saved millions and millions of lives.  He also is a guy that undoubtedly has a creative mind.  Though at times he wishes he could turn it off,  I don’t think the world could afford for him to do so.  At the age of 18, he began to develop a love for creating and making things in the manufacturing sector.  Holding on to the belief and philosophy that there is no product or process that cannot be improved upon, Woody has gone on to create some pretty impressive things to say the least.

One for example, is the airbag.

Now days, the airbag is such an integral part of  a car’s safety system that it seems like a ‘no-brainer’ to have it.  But that is obviously a misconception, especially if you go back just a decade.  And if you ask Woody,  a brain is the very thing he needed and used in order to set his idea into motion.

According to Woody, all ideas originate from something.  Unfortunately in the case of the airbag, the idea came from a tragic car accident that left his uncle terribly injured and his aunt dead.  At the funeral, Woody can recall thinking about his aunt and wishing he could have done something to help save her life.  He thought that if nothing was done to improve the safety of a car,  this would not be the last time an unnecessary life would be taken.  Since the likelihood of more car accidents occurring is high, he began coming up with ideas that would help prevent injuries and save lives.

“If it were me, and I had a choice, I would rather be thrown into a mattress or into a balloon.  Since a balloon is deflatable, and a mattress isn’t, I decided that a balloon was more realistic.  Plus, a balloon could be inflated and deflated in a matter of milliseconds,” said Woody.

Like most creative thinkers, Woody wont take all the credit for having created the airbag.  The concept was his but the whole technology behind it was created with the help a team of experts.  The technology behind the airbag is amazing!  For example, have you ever wondered how the car can tell the difference between a piece of gravel hitting the bumper, going over some railroad tracks, or getting into a minor collision, and getting into a life threatening car accident?  Because the technology is made up of a series of hi-tech computers, it is able to register and process information electronically that will help it make a decision to either deploy or not deploy the airbag in less than 200th of a second.

“It’s one thing to deploy the airbag at that speed, and its another thing entirely to be able to come up with the technology that will make sure that it doesn’t hurt you coming out at that velocity.  Now there are holes in it that immediately let the air out.  It has come a long way.  Now we have them on the sides of the car and underneath roof,” stated Woody.

Never in his wildest dreams did Woody think he would have the type of impact that he does on the world.  Annually more than 25,000+ people in the U.S. are saved from being fatally wounded or seriously injured in a car accident.  The ripple effect he has created is unimaginable.  Many of the same people you and I know that have gotten into car accidents would have gotten severely injured, been left potentially limbless or even crippled had it not been for the airbag. But it doesn’t stop here.  The families of the victims and their communities would have also been affected. “When someone has an accident, it affects a lot more people than just that individual,” stated Woody.

Interestingly enough, one of the personal benefits of having created the airbag is that it actually saved Woody’s life a few years ago when he got into a very bad car accident. In regards to the accident, Woody said, “If you saw what this car looked like, you wouldn’t imagine me living through that accident.”

On the Road to Saving More Lives…

Now you would think that the person who created the airbag would marvel at his accomplishments and call it a day.  No, not Woody.  Since creating the airbag, he has gone on to create something he feels will help improve and save even more lives.

After coming across a research scientist that had been working to improve the lives of his patients with epilepsy, Woody became fascinated with the idea of working with the brain.  “The brain absolutely fascinates me! Everything we do, every thought or idea, starts in the brain,” said Woody.

What interested Woody about this scientist was that he had discovered where epileptic seizures originated, and after some time, he was able to gather enough data to suggest a possible way to improve the lives of those with Parkinson’s, OCD, Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Epilepsy, Chronic pain, and Morbid Obesity.  Woody then began to design the device which he calls a “Transducer Navigator Device.”

“It’s a non-invasive procedure. The electric current comes through the device from a power source. Inside the device is a part called a ‘transducer,’ which creates ultra-sound waves that focus on an exact spot in the brain, and alters the molecule structure of the brain. This is absolutely the most exciting project I’ve ever worked on in my entire life,” said Woody.

The Brainsonix team is currently applying for FDA approval.  They hope to get approval soon so they can begin collecting data and producing some beneficial results.

Saving and changing lives occurs daily for Woody. He is a great example of what it is to be a true steward of the world.  The ripple effect he has created will undoubtedly continue to affect more lives for years to come.

David A. Moya is a Carmel Valley San Diego community contributor and influencer for positive change.  As founder of The Carmel Valley Life he focuses on education, transparency and helping others find a voice for their passion.  During his earlier years, he fed his entrepreneurial spirit and founded a company focused on the development of young kids who are committed to peak performance.  David went on to pay for his BA in Finance through his real estate business and after graduating flew more than 30 flights to over 10 countries in order to master the art of communication and business.  Today, he enjoys creating value for his community by leading a movement of responsibility – one of sharing knowledge, stories and a helping hand.