Raymond Lightwood (1922–2001) was a British medical engineer who developed the first variable rate heart pacemaker, together with Leon Abrams at the University of Birmingham.
In consultation with cardiothoracic surgeon Leon Abrams he researched, designed and developed the first variable rate heart pacemaker in 1960.
Lightwood used electrodes attached to the heart coupled to an external pacemaker, so all the electronic components were kept outside the body, and could be replaced in the event of failure.
This was the first patient controlled permanent pacemaker as the primary circuit consisted of an inducing coil supplied by a portable transistor which produced short pulses at adjustable intervals and intensity.
Lightwood was awarded the Official Degree of BSc (Pure Science) in 1974 by Birmingham University for which he submitted a thesis entitled 'An inductively coupled system for electrical pacemaking of the heart'.