Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847.
The phonograph, commonly called a record player, played and recorded sound by using a stylus that moved along the grooves of a record. Thomas Edison created the phonograph in 1877.
2. Carbon Microphone
Answer: Thomas Edison
In 1859, Thomas Edison set up a chemistry laboratory in a baggage car where he made a printing press to publish his own newspaper. His first invention to receive a patent in 1869 was a device that recorded votes electronically.
The carbon microphone operated by using carbon granules between two metal plates, converting sound waves into electrical signals by changing the electrical resistance in response to sound pressure. Thomas Edison was granted the first patent for this invention in 1877.
3. Tasimeter
Answer: Thomas Edison
In 1876, Thomas Edison founded his first laboratory facility, the birthplace of the lightbulb, in Menlo Park, New Jersey, and was awarded 1,093 U.S. patents during his lifetime.
The tasimeter, or microtasimeter, was an instrument invented by Thomas Edison in 1878 for measuring minute changes in pressure. It amplified slight pressure and temperature fluctuations, enabling readings for scientific investigations.
4. Lightning Rod
Answer: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher, and was born on January 17, 1706.
A lightning rod was a metal rod on top of a building that protected it from lightning strikes and fires. It guided the lightning safely into the ground, not into the building. Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod in 1749.
5. Bifocals
Answer: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a founding father and the founder of Philadelphia's first fire department and the Library Company of Philadelphia, the first successful lending library in America.
Bifocals are still used today. They are prescription glasses with two sections in one lens: the top helps you see distance, and the bottom is for reading or viewing things up close. Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals in 1784.
6. Odometer
Answer: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin's very first invention was a pair of handheld swim fins, which he created in 1717. He never patented any of his inventions, but shared them with the public.
In 1775, Benjamin Franklin invented the carriage odometer to improve mail delivery. He attached it to his wagon to count wheel rotations to measure distance, helping to plan better postal routes.
7. Metal Detector
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer, born on March 3, 1847.
Alexander Graham Bell invented one of the first metal detectors in 1881 in an attempt to find an assassin's bullet lodged in the chest of U.S. President James Garfield; however, the attempt was unsuccessful. The device used a pulsing electrical current in the primary coil to create an invisible magnetic field.
8. Audiometer
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell
In 1885, Alexander Graham Bell co-founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and wrote articles for National Geographic between 1898 and 1903.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the audiometer in 1879 to accurately measure a person's hearing acuity. The device worked by sending varying tones through a telephone receiver or earphones, allowing the examiner to determine the exact hearing threshold.
9. Telephone
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell had deafness in his family, which led him to experiment with sound and to teach speech to deaf people. His first invention was a wheat dehusking machine, which he created in 1859. It separated the grain from the husks.
On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the telephone. This invention allowed people to talk over long distances by converting voice signals into electrical signals that traveled through wires and were then converted back into sound at the other end.
10. Violet Ray
Answer: Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American engineer, futurist, and inventor born on July 10, 1856.
Nikola Tesla developed the violet ray device in 1893. This medical tool was used in the early 1900s for electrotherapy, sending electric signals into the body to promote healing and wellness.
11. Remote Control
Answer: Nikola Tesla
In 1875, Nikola Tesla attended the Austrian Polytechnic in Graz on a military scholarship. His very first patent application was filed on March 30, 1885, for an improved Electric Arc Lamp.
Nikola Tesla invented the first wireless remote in 1898 for a miniature radio-controlled boat. A remote control used invisible light or radio frequencies to send commands to devices wirelessly. It converted button presses into a digital code.
12. Alternating Current (AC) System
Answer: Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla had about 300 patents around the world and set up laboratories in New York for various inventions. In 1888, Westinghouse Electric licensed his AC induction motor and related designs to produce their products.
Nikola Tesla invented and patented Alternating Current (AC) between 1887 and 1888, which caused electrons to move swiftly back and forth within the wire. It was highly useful for widespread power distribution, enabling safe and reliable transmission to residences and businesses.
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