(8 eminent electrical research scientists)

Thomas Edison (innovation – 1879)

            Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) is one of the most known electrical inventors. One of his biggest contributions to the evolution of electricity was producing electric light. He had tested many different types of filaments appropriate for the light bulb. Then, he finally reached a conclusion of using a carbon filament and carbonized bamboos which would last 1 200 hours and successfully tested it in the year 1879. He later formed a company called Edison Electrical Light Company. Thomas Edison also had 121 power stations delivering DC (direct current) electricity to customers in the United States of America and was competing with George Westinghouse’s AC (alternating current).

George Westinghouse (innovation – 1886)

            George Westinghouse (1846-1914) was an entrepreneur, engineer, and one of the main rivals of Thomas Edison in the electricity system. He had promoted AC (alternating current) electricity which produced higher voltage, transported over cheap and thin wires, and could be stepped down for distribution to customers. He had refined AC power and installed the first AC power system in Great Barrington, Massachusetts by 1886. He had also created electricity through hydroelectric plants in Niagara Falls. He was clearly winning the “War of Currents” against Thomas Edison.

Nikola Tesla (invention – late 1800s)

             Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was often regarded by many as “The father of physics” and “The man who invented the twentieth century”. That was actually a good name for him as he had innovated and invented a lot of technology and electrical advancements today. George Westinghouse had promoted his innovation of alternating current (AC) electric power and won the “War of Currents”. Today, the alternating current system lights the entire planet due to its efficiency and power. He had also shed some light in electromagnetic by testing and wireless communication.

Julius Edgar Lilienfeld (invention – 1928)

            Julius Edgar Lilienfeld (1881-1963) was a well known physicist for his innovation to electricity. He had created a FET(field effect transistor) in the year 1928. The field effect transistor relies on an electric field to supervise the shape and the conductivity of the channel in the semiconductor object and can be used as voltage controlling resistors. This was a great invention as it had innovated and led to the resistors today that restrict the flow of current.

William Shockley (invented 1947)

             William Shockley (1910 – 1989) is a Nobel Prize winner as a co-inventor of the transistor. The invention of transistor was a major breakthrough and over the past decades this invention was improved drastically and today we have transistors in many different shapes and sizes which are used in all modern electronics, from supercomputers to talking greeting cards. This invention has improved electronic circuits in a big way as the transistors later on led to development of silicon chip which is the backbone of modern day electronics.

Edwin Armstrong (invented 1933)

               Edwin Armstrong (1890 – 1954) was inventor of Regenerative Circuit in 1912 but he was mostly known for inventing FM Radio in 1933. This invention changed the face of long distance communication using frequency modulation (FM) waves. Radio transmission and reception became clearer that before. His other invention of Superhetrodyne Tuner further improved the radio reception as users could tune into different radio stations. Today we can make out the difference between AM and FM radio stations just by the quality of sound signal. His innovation also helps today by communicating by wireless waves.

Francis Thomas Bacon (invented in 1932)

                Francis Bacon (1904-1992) was the first person to develop hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells in 1932. These cells worked on principle of converting air and fuel into electrical energy. Francis Bacon wanted to expand the use of these cells into various everyday applications like transportation and the greatest use of these cells came when Apollo space vehicles were powered with high efficiency pollution free cells for the functioning of systems and the production of drinking water.

Russell Ohl (discovered 1940)

               Russell Ohl (1898 – 1987) discovered P-N barrier in silicon in 1940. P-N junction was used in development of transistors and solar cell technology. Russell Ohl is better known for his work on solar cells which converted sunlight to electrical energy. Solar cells are the practical source of energy in many areas like spaceships, powering communication equipment remote rural areas, etc.