Recording devices are on the list of inventions by Thomas Edison. Here are some of his other creations.
Thomas Edison is well known for inventing the light bulb but he also invented many other items including the first recording devices. The phonograph cylinder was mechanical and reproduced sound back in 1877. Edison patented this contraption the next year and its use spread around the world. In fact,
this product is what led to sound and musical recordings industries that became prevalent during the first portion of the 1900s. But that's not all this genius came up with. Here are some of the creations developed by this mastermind:
- Phonograph: The phonograph was the name of some of the original record players. It was comprised of tin foil and needle and he used it to record phone messages. His first message which was recorded was the children's song "Mary had a little lamb."
- Discs or records: Next, a plastic disc was developed to play sounds. The goal was to produce a product that created a realistic sound and didn't warp. Grooves were designed to play the records in a bobbing motion of the needle and stylus. Original plastic discs were less than a foot wide and would play for five minutes.
- Light bulb: While Thomas Edison is most well known for the light bulb, he didn't ever really invent it. What he did do was create an improved version of one that had been in existence for fifty years.
- Electric stations: This creator also came up with the first commercial power station that provided this utility to customers. It was called Pearl Street Station and provided electricity at a greatly reduced cost due to its efficiency.
- Kinetophones: These devices were a combination of sound and picture. They were pretty rustic and consisted of a person looking into a peephole at imagery while listening to the sound through rubber hoses. For the time, it was revolutionary.
- Vitascope and projectors: These were early film projection devices that were predecessors to movies and films. The Projectoscope was the name of his product.
- Motion pictures: Edison was determined to make a motion picture device and with the help of partners such as Eastman Kodak, who created the proper film, he achieved some success. A film clip of a man sneezing was the first successful short movie of his.
- Other patents: He had an array of other patents to his name include cabinetry, telegraphs, electric lamps, printing devices, batteries, chemical devices and many other gadgets and gizmos.
- Failures: Like all successful inventors, Thomas Edison wasn't always successful and had his share of failures. Some examples included cement products and techniques to mine ore. Nobody's perfect!
Thanks to Mr. Edison, the world has multiple products that are linked to the earlier versions thought up by this brilliant inventor. His one scientific brain brought us the first recording devices, plastic disc recordings that didn't warp, various movie making machines, electric companies, an improved version of the light bulb and much more. Where would our Smart Phones, I-Tunes, MP3 players and Youtubes be without these early inventions?
