West, James E.
1931- · Contribution: 1962
Acoustical engineer and inventor
Foil electret microphone

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1931, Prince Edward County, Virginia
- Active since
- 1957
- Category
- Technology & Engineering
- Best known for
- Co-inventing the foil electret microphone
Impact on the world
West's microphone made high-quality sound capture cheap and compact enough to put in nearly every device that records or transmits audio, from phones to hearing aids.
Sources
- National Inventors Hall of Fame
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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