John Alexander "Jack" Hopps (1919 – November 24, 1998) is the Canadian inventor of the world's first artificial pacemaker and is known as the "father of biomedical engineering in Canada". 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... This article is about a medical device which electrically stimulates the heart. ...

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he received a B.Sc.Eng. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1941. He joined the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in 1942. Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Unum Cum Virtute Multorum (One With the Strength of Many) City of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadas Location. ... The University of Manitoba (established in 1877) is one of two universities in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was the first university ever established in Western Canada. ... Plaque on the main NRC building in Ottawa. ...

Starting in 1949, he worked with Dr. Wilfred Bigelow and Dr. John Callaghan to develop the world's first cardiac pacemaker in 1951. It was finally implanted in a human body in 1958. Dr. Wilfred Gordon (Bill) Bigelow, OC , MD , LL.D , FRSC (June 18, 1913 – March 27, 2005) was a Canadian heart surgeon famous for his role in developing the artificial pacemaker. ...

He was the the founding president of the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society and the President of the Ontario Heart Foundation (Ottawa Chapter).

In 1985, his autobiography, Passing Pulses, the Pacemaker and Medical Engineering: A Canadian Story, was published. An autobiography (from the Greek auton, self, bios, life and graphein, write) is a biography written by the subject or composed conjointly with a collaborative writer (styled as told to or with). The term dates from the late eighteenth century, but the form is much older. ...

In 1986, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means, Desiring a better country. ...

References

• NRC, City of Ottawa to Commemorate Local Whose Inventions Helped Saved Millions of Lives Around the World. URL accessed on January 3, 2006.
• In Memorium Dr. John A. Hopps 1919 - 1998. URL accessed on January 3, 2006.