The 2008 Recipient of the Charles Stark Draper Prize will be awarded to Rudolf Kalman "for the devlopment and dissemination of the optimal digital technique (known as the Kalman Filter) that is pervasively used to control a vast array of consumer, health, commercial and defense products.The Kalman Filter is a mathematical technique that removes "noise" from series of data. From incomplete information, it can optimally estimate and control the state of a changing, complex system over time.

The Kalman filter revolutionized the field of control theory and has become pervasive in engineering systems. It has been applied to systems and devices in nearly all engineering fields and continues to find new uses today. Applications include target tracking by radar, global positioning systems, hydrological modeling, atmospheric observations, time-series analyses in econometrics, and automated drug delivery.

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Charles Stark Draper Prize

It is a goal of the National Academy of Engineering to honor those who have contributed to the advancement of engineering and to improve public understanding of the importance of engineering and technology.
Recognized as one of the world's preeminent awards for engineering achievement, the Charles Stark Draper Prize honors an engineer whose accomplishment has significantly impacted society by improving the quality of life, providing the ability to live freely and comfortably, and/or permitting the access to information.
The Draper Prize is awarded annually, the recipient receives a $500,000 cash award, and the prize recognizes achievements in all engineering disciplines. NAE members and non-members worldwide are eligible to receive the Draper Prize.