Adrian Pelkus, an inventor with 19 U.S. patents, has released his memoir, "Adrian, An American Artificer: From Ideas to Products and the Fight for Inventors' Rights," chronicling his life's work and his advocacy for the protection of independent inventors.
The book traces Pelkus's journey from a childhood influenced by his family's immigrant history—including his Greek grandmother's knowledge of herbal medicine and his father's Irish and Austrian ancestry—to his early education in Southern California. He was introduced to prosthetics work through UCLA's Child Amputee Prosthetics Project, which sparked a lifelong dedication to creating practical solutions.
Pelkus's career spans roles at Delta Design, Oak Systems, Electron Beam Corporation, and Astro Guard Industries, as well as founding A Squared Technologies, which operated for four decades in San Diego. Later ventures include IYIA Technologies and SteriSys. Throughout, he developed inventions across medical devices, consumer products, industrial systems, and biomedical technologies, earning 19 U.S. patents.
Central to the memoir is Pelkus's critique of the current patent landscape. He examines the impact of the America Invents Act and the Supreme Court's 2006 decision in eBay v. MercExchange, which he argues weakened patent holders' ability to secure injunctive relief against infringement. He reflects on the state of independent inventing in the United States, referencing Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which grants inventors exclusive rights to their discoveries.
Pelkus has been an active advocate for inventors, serving in leadership roles with the San Diego Inventors Forum, the United Inventors Association, and the South Carolina Inventors Forum. The memoir includes contributions from IP professionals, including an article from Michele Nash-Hoff, and acknowledges the editorial input of IP attorney David Waller.
In addition to his advocacy, Pelkus is known for developing Vaporous Hyperoxia Therapy (VHT), a patented wound-healing technology studied in clinical research. He founded A Squared Technologies, Inc., a San Diego-based electronics manufacturing and product development company.
"Adrian, An American Artificer" is now available. For more information about Adrian Pelkus and his work, visit his website at inventingwithadrian.com.
