National Inventors Hall of Fame Announces 2008 Inductees

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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(R) 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(R) 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(R) brand foam
 
     McIntire, a Dow chemist, created Styrofoam(R) 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.
 
     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(R) and Club Invention(R) programs,
 Invent Now(R) initiatives, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition(R).
 
     Note: For more information, including image access, visit the National
 Inventors Hall of Fame web site at www.invent.org/2008induction for
 downloads. For further questions, including inventor interview inquiries,
 please contact Rini Paiva, National Inventors Hall of Fame, at 330.388.6160
 or rpaiva@invent.org.
 
 
 

SOURCE National Inventors Hall of Fame