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Dr. James E. West: The Man Whose Voice Technology Gave Voice to Billions
Every phone call you make. Every voice message you send. Every podcast you listen to. Every time you ask Siri or Alexa a question. 90% of the 2 billion microphones manufactured every year are based on technology invented by one man: Dr. James Edward Maceo West. Born February 10, 1931, in segregated Farmville, Virginia, James West entered the world in his grandfather's home—not by choice, but because the local hospital refused to admit Black patients. Despite warnings that there was no professional future for Black men in science, West pursued physics at Temple University. In 1957, he joined Bell Laboratories. In 1962, working with colleague Gerhard Sessler, West invented the foil electret microphone—a revolutionary device that was smaller, cheaper, more reliable, and didn't require bulky batteries. By 1968, it was in mass production. By the 1970s, it became the industry standard. Today, it's in 90% of all microphones worldwide. Dr. West holds over 250 patents and has authored more than 150 scientific papers. He received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2006 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999. At 94, he's still inventing and teaching at Johns Hopkins, developing smart stethoscopes for detecting pneumonia in children in developing countries.
Key Themes
Recommended For
History enthusiasts, STEM students, advocates for Black excellence in science
Production Style
Biographical documentary with historical context and contemporary relevance
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