Dimitri Rebikoff, born in 1921 in Paris, showed great ability early in his childhood.

During World War II he spent time in captivity and many German firms profited from his technical expertise. After the War he studied at the University of Sorbonne in Paris and moved to Lausanne, Switzerland where he opened a workshop. Among other accomplishments he developed the Colormeter, a color/temperature measuring meter. With his invention of the portable electronic flash in 1947, Dimitri Rebikoff created a milestone in technical scientific photography. He was able to photograph a bullet at the moment of discharge with a shutter speed up to a millionth of a second.

Married to Ada Niggeler, a photographer, Dimitri Rebikoff settled in Cannes, France where he and his wife became involved with diving and underwater research. He developed the first underwater electronic flash, stereophoto and film cameras. It was then possible to shoot high quality underwater photographs, a technological breakthrough for underwater documentation.

Dimitri Rebikoff developed the world´s first underwater scooter, “Torpille”, in 1952, which later became the world`s first remote underwater vehicle, the "Poodle". An underwater vehicle for divers, the “Pegasus”, followed in 1953. The "Pegasus" was equipped with Gyro instruments and found international success. Together with Prof. Ivanoff, Mr Le Grand and Mr Cuvier, Dimitri Rebikoff invented a highly specialised, extremely precise correction lens for underwater photogrammetry.

In 1959 Ada and Dimitri Rebikoff moved to the United States. Dimitri worked as a chief engineer with such companies as Loral, Chicago Bridge, etc. New technologies led to further developments in TV cameras and high speed underwater film cameras, produced by these companies. Underwater vehicles like “Pegasus” and “Sea-Inspector”, equipped with underwater cameras, were used by oil companies, the movie industry, the Oceanographic Office and the US Navy.

In 1980 Dimitri Rebikoff established the not-for-profit Institute of Marine Technology in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joachim Jakobsen (born Piechatzek), son of a Rebikoff colleague and known for his underwater photography and film work, was a representative for Rebikoff products.

In 1991, when Dimitri and Ada Rebikoff-Niggeler retired, Joachim Jakobsen was asked to establish the Foundation Rebikoff-Niggeler.

With his work, Dimitri Rebikoff contributed decisively to the development of oceanographic techniques and underwater capabilities.

He died in 1997 in Florida.