National Inventors Hall of Fame announces 2008 inductees

“This year’s group of inventors who we’re recognizing have discovered innovations that we truly take for granted as we live our daily lives, “ said Fred Allen, Vice President of Selection of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “Whether it’s through our daily actions at home or through global systems, these inventors have significantly influenced the quality of how we live.”

This year’s inductees are an accomplished group:

Robert Adler (1913 – 2007) Television remote control
Adler invented the first practical wireless remote control for television while at Zenith.

Ruth Benerito (1916 - ) Wrinkle-free cotton
Changing the textile industry forever with her invention of easy-care cotton, Benerito developed the idea by linking together cellulose chains in cotton while working for the USDA.

Amar Bose (1929 - ) Audio technology
Bose has introduced a variety of products through his company, including the 901® Direct/Reflecting speaker system, customized sound systems for automobiles, and active noise-reducing headphones.

John Charnley (1911 – 1982) Hip replacement surgery
A British orthopedic surgeon, Charnley developed the hip replacement procedure that has allowed many patients to enjoy a better quality of life.

Willem Einthoven (1860 – 1927) Electrocardiograph
Einthoven’s invention made it possible to record the electrical current of the human heart.

Calvin Fuller (1902 – 1994), Gerald Pearson (1905 – 1987), Daryl Chapin (1906 – 1995) Silicon Solar Cell
While at Bell Labs, this trio developed the first practical means of collecting energy from the sun and turning it into a current of electricity.

Nick Holonyak (1928 - ) LED
Nick Holonyak is best known for inventing the first visible light-emitting diodes (LED). His work is also responsible for the technology used to develop red lasers in CD and DVD players.

Erna Hoover (1926 - ) Computerized telephone switching
Hoover’s invention, created while she was at Bell Labs, made it possible to monitor the frequency of incoming calls and adjust the call acceptance rate, eliminating the danger of an overload in processing calls. It was the first reliable switching system to use computer techniques.

Amos Joel (1918 - ) Switching concept for cellular phones
Retired from Bell Labs, Joel created a switching concept making cell phone use practical by maintaining continuity of service as ongoing calls were transferred from one cell region to another.

Clarence “Kelly” Johnson (1910 – 1990) Aircraft
Heading the team at Lockheed Martin’s Skunkworks, Johnson played a leading role in the design of more than 40 aircrafts and holds patents for the first U.S.A. production jet fighter and the first U.S.A. Mach 2 fighter.