News Release

National Inventors Hall of Fame announces 2008 inductees

Inventors' work includes LED, the solar cell, acoustics technology

Grant and Award Announcement

National Inventors Hall of Fame

Washington, D.C. (February 14, 2008)—Continuing its commitment to honor invention and innovation, the National Inventors Hall of Fame has recognized the next group of world-class inventors who will be inducted into its ranks. This year’s influential class includes inventors such as Nick Holonyak, Jr., who invented the first visible LED; Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin, who together created the first practical solar cell that converted solar energy into electrical power; and Amar Bose, whose pioneering work in acoustics technology is developed at the company that bears his name.

The 2008 group includes seven living inventors whose accomplishments have had a large impact on us through how they have improved our lives. Medical devices, cell phone use technology, an anti-fungal drug, and textile improvements are just a few of the areas where their influence can be seen.

The 2008 class of inductees:

LIVING

  • Ruth Benerito: Wrinkle-free cotton
  • Amar Bose: Audio technology
  • Nick Holonyak, Jr.: LED (light emitting diode)
  • Erna Hoover: Computerized telephone switching
  • Amos Joel, Jr.: Switching concept for cellular phones
  • William Murphy, Jr.: Medical devices, including blood bag, disposable medical trays
  • Kenneth Richardson: Fluconazole (anti-fungal drug)

POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION

  • Robert Adler: Television remote control
  • John Charnley: Hip replacement surgery
  • Willem Einthoven: Electrocardiograph
  • Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, Daryl Chapin: Silicon Solar Cell
  • Clarence “Kelly” Johnson: Aircraft
  • Ray McIntire: Styrofoam® brand foam
  • Malcom McLean: Containerized shipping
  • Harold McMaster: Tempered glass
  • David Pall: Filtration technology

Every year, the National Inventors Hall of Fame honors through induction the individuals whose work has changed society and improved the way we live. Their vision, hard work, and creative drive have led to powerful new tools that shape the future while celebrating invention. The 2008 class will be inducted this year on May 2nd and 3rd at the annual induction ceremonies held in Akron, Ohio.

“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.

Ray McIntire (1918 – 1996) Styrofoam® brand foam
McIntire, a Dow chemist, created Styrofoam® brand foam, commonly used as building insulation. Polystyrene foam has also given rise to dozens of everyday objects like coolers, coffee cups, packing insulation and more.

Malcom McLean (1913 – 2001) Containerized shipping
McLean’s invention revolutionized cargo handling by eliminating the tedious process of loading, unloading and reloading. He created a cargo box that could be handled interchangeably by any carrier including truck, rail or cargo ship.

Harold McMaster (1916 – 2003) Tempered glass
McMaster developed a machine to carry out the process of tempering glass. The process compresses the glass, adding tensile strength, and leaves the glass with no sharp edges if broken.

William Murphy, Jr. (1923 - ) Medical devices
Murphy’s many successful medical devices include disposable medical procedure trays, blood bags, physiologic cardiac pacemakers, angiographic injectors, and hollow fiber artificial kidneys. He was also the founder of Cordis Corp.

David Pall (1914 – 2004) Filtration
Pall, founder of the Pall Corp., is well known for his leukocyte reduction filter that has become a standard in transfusion medicine. He also made many other types of filters perform very specific tasks, including filters for critical aircraft systems and nylon filters that prevent bacteria from contaminating pharmaceuticals.

Kenneth Richardson (1939 - ) Fluconazole (Anti-Fungal Drug)
Richardson’s work at Pfizer in England has saved the lives of millions around the world by treating transplant recipients, burn victims, chemotherapy patients, AIDS patients, and others with weakened immune systems that make them targets of deadly fungal diseases.

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Inventors may be nominated by anyone for induction into the Hall of Fame, but they must hold a U.S. patent to be considered. The nominee’s invention must have contributed to the welfare of society and have promoted the progress of science and the useful arts. All nominations are reviewed by the Selection Committee, comprised of representatives from national science and technology organizations.

The not-for-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame is the premier organization in America dedicated to honoring and fostering creativity and invention. Each year a new class of inventors is inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their patented inventions that make human, social, and economic progress possible. Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Association, the Hall’s permanent home is Akron, Ohio, where the inventors in the Hall are honored and from where it administers its national programs, including the Camp Invention® and Club Invention® programs, Invent Now® initiatives, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition®.


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