West, James E.
1931- · Contribution: 1962
Foil electret microphone
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
His microphone design is used in roughly 90 percent of microphones manufactured today, including those in telephones, hearing aids, and recording equipment. His microphone technology also became standard across the music recording and broadcast industries.
Life & background
An acoustician and inventor, West co-developed the foil electret microphone, a low-cost, high-performance design that remains the basis for the vast majority of microphones in use worldwide. He holds more than 250 U.S. and foreign patents.
Sources
- National Inventors Hall of Fame; Johns Hopkins University; BlackPast.org
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