Read Short Biographies and Complete a Comparison of Character Traits for Inventors

Evinrude , Ole
Outboard Motor

Faget , Maxime
Space Capsule Design
Beginning his career designing supersonic aircraft as a part of the Na . . . .

Faggin , Federico
CPU
One of the most important developments of the last half of the 20th ce . . . .

Farmer , Moses
Electric fire alarm system

Farnsworth , Philo Taylor
Cathode-Ray Tube
Farnsworth's basic television patents covered scanning, focusing, sync . . . .

Fergason , James
Liquid Crystal Display
James Fergason holds a series of patents that form the foundation of t . . . .

Fermi , Enrico
Nuclear Fission
While studying the creation of artificially radioactive isotopes in th . . . .

Fessenden , Reginald
Radio
Reginald Fessenden is known for discovering amplitude modulation (AM) . . . .

Firestone , Harvey
Pneumatic rubber tires

Fitch , John
Steamboat

Flanigen , Edith
Molecular Sieves
In 1956, Edith Flanigen began working on the emerging technology of "m . . . .

Fogarty , Thomas
Embolectomy Catheter
In 1963, Thomas Fogarty received a patent for his Fogarty® balloon . . . .

Folkman , M. Judah
Angiogenesis Inhibition
Physician and researcher Judah Folkman introduced the idea that tumors . . . .

Ford , Henry
Automobile
Pioneering automotive engineer Henry Ford held many patents on automot . . . .

Forrester , Jay W.
Random Access Memory
Jay W. Forrester was a pioneer in early digital computer development a . . . .

Fossum , Eric R.
CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip
Eric Fossum led the team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory that crea . . . .

Franz , John E.
Glyphosate Herbicide

Free , Alfred
Glucose Detection for Diabetes
In the mid-1940s, Alfred Free and Helen Murray were both chemists work . . . .

Free , Helen
Glucose Detection for Diabetes
In the mid-1940s, Alfred Free and Helen Murray were both chemists work . . . .

Freeman , Ross
Configurable electrical circuit having configurable logic elements and configurable interconnects
Ross Freeman invented the field programmable gate array (FPGA), a comp . . . .

Frohman-Bentchkowsky , Dov
Erasable programmable read only memory array
Dov Frohman-Bentchkowsky invented a computer chip that could be erased . . . .

Fry , Arthur L.
Post It Notes
Art Fry was a new product development researcher at 3M when he learned . . . .

Fuller , Calvin
Silicon Solar Cell
Solar Energy Converting Apparatus
Fulton , Robert
Steamboat

Gagnan , Emile
Diving Unit
Emile Gagnan and Jacques Cousteau together invented the modern demand . . . .

Gallo , Robert
HIV Virus Isolation and Diagnosis
Robert Gallo played a key role in identifying the cause and detection . . . .

Ganellin , Charon Robin
Tagamet - Cimetidine
Graham J. Durant, John Colin Emmett, and C. Robin Ganellin led the Smi . . . .

Germer , Edmund
Fluorescent Lamp
Germer received the Frank P. Brown Medal from the Franklin Institute i . . . .

Getting , Ivan
Global Positioning System
The technological triumph known as the Global Positioning System of sa . . . .

Gibbon , John Heysham
Heart-Lung Machine

Gillette , King Camp
Safety Razor

Ginsburg , Charles P.
Video Tape Recording
Charles Ginsburg led the research team at Ampex Corporation in develop . . . .

Glidden , Joseph
Barbed wire

Goddard , Robert Hutchings
Solid Fuel Rockets
Robert Hutchings Goddard pioneered modern rocketry and space flight an . . . .

Goddard , William A.
Magnetic Disk Drive

Godowsky Jr. , Leopold
Color Photography
Created a practical film for color photography, and its ease of use an . . . .

Goldmark , Peter Carl
Phonograph Record

Goodwin , Hannibal
Transparent, flexible nitrocellulose film
In the late 1870’s, Hannibal Goodwin developed a method for making tra . . . .

Goodyear , Charles
Vulcanization of Rubber
Natural or India rubber, as it was then known, was of limited usefulness to industry. Rubber products melted in hot weather, froze and cracked in cold, and adhered to virtually everything until the day in the mid-19th century when inventor Charles . . . .

Gore , Robert
ePTFE, known by the GORE-TEX® brand name

Gould , Gordon
Laser
Gordon Gould coined the word laser and patented optically pumped and d . . . .

Gramme , Zénobe
Direct current dynamo

Gray , Elisha
Telegraphic Instruments

Greatbatch , Wilson
Implantable Pacemaker
Wilson Greatbatch invented the cardiac pacemaker, an innovation select . . . .

Greene , Leonard Michael
Aircraft Stall Warning Device
Leonard Michael Greene has patented dozens of inventions in aviation t . . . .

Grumman , Leroy
Retractable Landing Gear; Folding Wing
After serving as a mechanic, flight instructor, test pilot and enginee . . . .

Gundlach , Robert
Modern Photocopier
Gundlach devoted over three decades to the task of transforming the ma . . . .

Haber , Fritz
Production of Ammonia

Hall , Lloyd
Sterilizing Foodstuffs Food Preservatives
Lloyd Hall was a pioneer in the field of food chemistry, creating many . . . .

Hall , Charles Martin
Aluminum
Charles Martin Hall discovered the electrolytic method of producing al . . . .

Hall , Robert N.
Magnetron
Robert Hall invented the version of the magnetron that operates most m . . . .

Hall , Thomas Seavey
Improvement in Electrical Signals

Hall , H. Tracy
Synthetic Diamond
The GE Research Laboratories announced on February 15, 1955 that H. Tr . . . .

Hallidie , Andrew
Cable car

Hammond Jr. , John Hays
Radio Control
John Hays Hammond, Jr. became interested in the new study of radio wav . . . .

Hanford , William Edward
Polyurethane
William Edward Hanford and Donald Fletcher Holmes invented the process for making the multipurpose material polyurethane.They teamed up at . . . .

Hawkins , W. Lincoln
Polymer Cable Sheath
By finding a way to stabilize the polymers used to coat communications . . . .

Hazen , Elizabeth Lee
Nystatin (Antifungal / Antibiotic)
The world's first useful antifungal antibiotic, nystatin, was developed through a long-distance scientific collaboration.

Working as researchers for the . . . .

Heilman , M. Stephen
Implantable Heart Defibrillator
Stephen Heilman co-invented the automatic implantable defibrillator, a . . . .

Heilmeier , George H.
Electro-Optic Liquid Crystal Device
George Heilmeier discovered four new electro-optic effects in liquid c . . . .

Hellman , Martin E.
Public-Key Cryptography
In 1976, Whitfield Diffie, Martin Hellman, and Ralph Merkle developed . . . .

Hennebique , Francois
Reinforced-concrete Construction
François Hennebique devised the pioneering technique of construction w . . . .

Henry , Beulah
Various inventions for daily use
Beulah Henry became known as “Lady Edison” for the number and variety . . . .

Hewitt , Peter Cooper
Mercury-vapor Lamp
Peter Cooper Hewitt patented the mercury vapor lamp which was widely u . . . .

Hewlett , William R.
Audio Signals
Cofounder of the electronics giant . . . .

Higonnet , Rene Alphonse
Photo Composing Machine
Louis Marius Moyroud and Rene Alphonse Higonnet developed the first pr . . . .

Hilleman , Maruice Ralph
Vaccines

Hillier , James
Electron Microscope
Physicist James Hillier is recognized for his contributions to the dev . . . .

Hoe , Richard M.
Printing Press

Hoerni , Jean A.
Method of Manufacturing Semiconductor Devices
Early in 1959 while at Fairchild Semiconductor, Jean Hoerni invented t . . . .

Hoff Jr. , Marcian E. (Ted)
CPU
In the late 1960s, many articles had discussed the possibility of a co . . . .

Hoffman , Felix
Aspirin

Hogan , Paul
HDPE and Polypropylene Plastics
Paul Hogan and fellow research chemist Robert Banks were working for P . . . .

Holland , John Phillip
Submarine

Hollerith , Herman
Punch Card Tabulator
Herman Hollerith invented and developed a punch-card tabulation machine system that revolutionized statistical computation.

Hollerith began working on the tabulating system during his days at MIT, filing for the first patent in 1884. He developed a hand-fed 'press' that sensed the holes in punched cards; a wire would pass through the holes into a cup of mercury beneath the card closing the electrical circuit. This process triggered mechanical counters and sorter bins and tabulated the appropriate data.

Hollerith's system-including punch, tabulator, and sorter-allowed the official 1890 population count to be tallied in six months, and in another two years all the census data was completed and defined; the cost was $5 million below the forecasts and saved more than two years' time.

His later machines mechanized the card-feeding process, added numbers, and sorted cards, in addition to merely counting data.

In 1896 Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company, forerunner of Computer Tabulating Recording Company (CTR). He served as a consulting engineer with CTR until retiring in 1921.

In 1924 CTR changed its name to . . . .

Holley , Alexander
Steel making process in America

Holly Jr. , Birdsill
Modern day fire hydrant

Holmes , Donald Fletcher
Polyurethane
William Edward Hanford and Donald Fletcher Holmes invented the process for making the multipurpose material polyurethane.

Holmes teamed up with Edward Hanford at . . . .

Holonyak Jr. , Nick
LED
First LED in the Visual Spectrum
Holt , Benjamin
Traction-Engine

Hood , Leroy E.
DNA Sequencer

Hoover , Erna
Computerized Telephone Switching
Electronic Switching Central Processor Overload Control
Hornbeck , Larry J.
Spatial Light Modulator and Method
Larry Hornbeck is the inventor of the Digital Micromirror Device, an a . . . .

Houdry , Eugene
Catalytic Cracking
Eugene Houdry discovered a revolutionary method for cracking low-grade . . . .

Hounsfield , Godrey Newbold
CT Scan

Howe , Elias
Sewing Machine
Elias Howe invented the first practical sewing machine. Born in Spence . . . .

Hulett , George
Loading and unloading machine

Hunt , Walter
Safety pin

Hyatt , John
Celluloid

Hyde , J. Franklin
Transparent Silica
A periodic chart that Franklin Hyde once designed had the element sili . . . .

Ingersoll , Simon
Steam powered rock drill

Ives , Frederic E.
Color Photography
Frederic Ives was a pioneer of color and stereoscopic photography, and . . . .

Javan , Ali
Helium-neon laser

Jeffreys , Alec
Genetic Fingerprinting
Alec Jeffreys invented genetic fingerprinting, a powerful technology t . . . .

Jenkins , Charles F.
Motion Picture Projector
Charles Jenkins was an innovator of early cinema and one of the first . . . .

Joel Jr. , Amos
Mobile Communication System
Switching Concept for Cellular Phones
Johnson , Clarence
Aircraft
Afterburning Means for Turbo-Jet Engines
Jones , Frederick McKinley
Air Conditioner for Vehicles

Julian , Percy Lavon
Cortisone
Percy Lavon Julian synthesized physostigmine for treatment of glaucoma and . . . .

Kahn , Robert
Internet Protocol

Kahng , Dawon
Electric Field Controlled Semiconductor Device
Dawon Kahng was an inventor of the first practical field-effect transi . . . .

Kaman , Charles
Rotor Control Mechanism for Helicopter
In 1940 Kaman began working as an aerodynamicist with renowned helicop . . . .

Kamen , Dean
Insulin pump
Dean Kamen's first major innovation was the AutoSyringe®, a class of a . . . .

Keck , Donald B.
Optical Fibers
Corning Glass researchers Robert Maurer, Donald Keck, and Peter Schult . . . .

Kellogg , John
Breakfast cereal

Kelman , Charles
Cataract Surgery
Charles Kelman is widely acknowledged as the leading innovator in the . . . .

Kemp , Clarence M.
Passive Solar Water Heater
In 1881, Clarence Kemp founded the C.M. Kemp Manufacturing Company in . . . .

Kettering , Charles Franklin
Automobile
Charles Franklin Kettering invented the first electrical ignition syst . . . .

Kies , Mary Dixon
Process for weaving straw with silk or thread

Kilby , Jack S.
Integrated Circuit
In 1959 electrical engineer Jack S. Kilby invented the monolithic integrated circuit, which is still widely used in electronic systems. In 1958 he joined . . . .

Kingsbury , Albert
Thrust Bearing

Kleist , Dale
Fiberglass

Knight , Margaret
Machine for making flat bottom paper bags

Kolff , Willem J.
Artificial Heart
Medical researcher Willem J. Kolff invented the artificial kidney dial . . . .

Kollsman , Paul
Altimeter
Kollsman's altimeter gives the pilot the ability to set the existing a . . . .

Kroll , William
Titanium
In 1932, Luxembourg native William Kroll invented a process to produce . . . .

Kurzweil , Raymond
Optical Character Recognition

Kwolek , Stephanie Louise
Kevlar
Kwolek's earliest work pioneered low-temperature processes for the pre . . . .

Lachman , Irwin M.
Catalytic Converter
Working at Corning, Irwin Lachman co-invented the ceramic substrate fo . . . .

Land , Edwin Herbert
Photography
Physicist, manufacturing executive, and inventor Edwin Herbert Land de . . . .

Langer , Alois A.
Implantable Heart Defibrillator

Langer , Robert
Controlled Drug Delivery

Langmuir , Irving
Electric Lamp
Irving Langmuir's work led to two major inventions: the high-vacuum el . . . .

Langstroth , Lorenzo Lorraine
Beehive

Lanza , Vincent L.
Polymer Cable Sheath
By finding a way to stabilize the polymers used to coat communications . . . .

Latimer , Lewis
Filament for electric light bulb

Lauterbur , Paul Christian
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Lawrence , Ernest Orlando
Cyclotron
Ernest Orlando Lawrence invented the cyclotron, a device that greatly . . . .

Lear , William P.
Car Radio
Though his name is most often associated with corporate jet airplanes, . . . .

Ledley , Robert S.
CAT Scan
Robert S. Ledley invented the whole-body CT (computerized tomographic) . . . .

Leland , Henry M.
Interchangeable Parts for Automobiles
Henry M. Leland was an inventor, machinist, engineer and automotive en . . . .

Lewis , Ronald M.
Catalytic Converter
Ronald Lewis is co-inventor of the ceramic substrate found in catalyti . . . .

Link , Edwin A.
Link Trainer / Simulator
Link received his pilot's license in 1927 and purchased his first airp . . . .

Lodge , Oliver Joseph
Electric Telegraphy

Lumière , Auguste-Marie
Cinematographe

Lumière , Louis
Cinematographe

Lynott , John Joseph
Magnetic Disk Drive

Macdougall , John D.
Method of Making Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor with Controlled Threshold Voltage
John Macdougall is one of the inventors of the first commercially viab . . . .

Macomber , Stanley
Open Web Joist
In 1912, Stanley Macomber became city engineer for Centralia, Washingt . . . .

Maiman , Theodore Harold
Laser
Physicist Theodore Harold Maiman invented the first operable laser.

While employed at . . . .

Manchester , Kenneth E.
Method of Making Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor with Controlled Threshold Voltage
Kenneth Manchester is a pioneer in the development of ion implantation . . . .

Mannes , Leopold
Color Photography
Created a practical film for color photography, and its ease of use an . . . .

Mansfield , Peter
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Marconi , Guglielmo
Radio
In 1895 Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi built the equipment and tra . . . .

Marrison , Warren
Frequency Control System
In the early 20th century, as telephone wires carried more messages an . . . .

Martin , Homer Z.
Catalytic Cracking
Homer Martin was with Exxon Research & Engineering Co. (ER&E) . . . .

Mason , John
Mason jar

Matzeliger , Jan
Shoe-lasting machine

Mauchly , John
ENIAC

Maurer , Robert D.
Optical Fibers
Corning Glass researchers Robert Maurer, Donald Keck, and Peter Schult . . . .

Maxim , Hiram
Maxim gun; smokeless gunpowder

Maybach , Wilhelm
Explosion and Combustion Motor

Mazor , Stanley
CPU
In the late 1960s, many articles had discussed the possibility of a co . . . .

McCormick , Cyrus Hall
Mechanical Reaper
Cyrus Hall McCormick invented the mechanical reaper, which combined al . . . .