You may not know it, but each time you get behind the wheel of a car, it likely holds technology invented by Penn Engineering alumnus Ralph Teetor, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1912 and a master’s in 1930. Among his many inventions, Teetor, a prolific tinkerer, developed and patented the Speedostat, the original cruise control, which was widely adopted by auto manufacturers by the late 1950s.

Completely blind from the age of 6, Teetor was determined to become an engineer despite questions about his capabilities. After graduating from Penn, he co-founded the company Perfect Circle, which manufactured superior piston rings and kept his hometown of Hagerstown, Indiana, from feeling the full effects of the Great Depression.

Pictured here is Teetor holding the Speedostat with Perfect Circle’s President, Bill Prosser, in 1957. Though blind, his other senses were heightened, and Teetor would use his fingers to assess the health and performance of automotive engines and their components.

At the time of his passing in 1982, Teetor held roughly 50 patents and had been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. His legacy continues on at Penn Engineering, where each spring a graduating senior is honored with the Ralph Teetor Award, presented for ingenuity, creativity and service in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics.

Teetor’s legacy has been captured in the documentary Blind Logic. Learn more about the life and impact of America’s first blind engineer, whose story resonates with anyone facing challenges that require perseverance and passion.