[1] At age four, Ben's German-born father[1] died from tuberculosis,[3] and his Russian mother passed shortly afterwards, leaving him and his two brothers orphans.
He built a robot that could respond to piano chords, and developed a high-speed computing counter, and registered patents for various other inventions, including a vacuum cleaner that could reach under furniture, and a novel design for a toilet paper holder.
According to their website, the foundation has made grants exceeding $1 billion, and their work is aimed at "advancing racial, social and economic justice in Southern California."
[3] Weingart's health began to decline in the 1970s, and beginning in the late 1970s, his companion, Laura Winston,[8] attracted headlines for challenging the court-ordered conservatorship that placed him under the control of three of his business associates.
After his death, Laura Winston fought a protracted legal battle to win recognition as Weingart's companion[8] and to defend her inheritance rights.