Thomas Alva Edison: A Lifetime

Thomas Alva Edison: A lifetime of work dedicated to the improvement of technology

Thomas Alva Edison, American scientist of the 19th and 20th centuries, have provided inventions and innovations in technology which paved the way for human living to become more comfortable and easier. Edison was not only known for his numerous inventions, he was also recognized for his ability to make his inventions available to ordinary people who most need these inventions. He was known as a prolific scientist and a calculating individual, recognizing that his inventions are not only commercially viable, but can also be marketed to include every consumer in the society who needs his inventions.

Edison's lifetime of work towards improving technology began with his famed incandescent electric lamp, which enabled people to invest on having lights in their home instead of the crude lighting that gas lamps provide. Under the company name of Edison Electric Light Company, Edison began his pursuit in developing an incandescent lamp in 1879. He sought this invention to become not only cheap, but also ergonomic, designing this electric lamp as lightweight and safe for its users (National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2002).

Although Edison's first attempt at creating inventions was when he was still working as a telegraph operator in 1863, which enabled him to later invent his own "version" of the telegraph, this time through the quadruplex telegraph, designed to transmit four messages. These attempts at invention became pivotal for him to develop his interest in the development of inventions that utilizes electricity, hence the development of the incandescent electric lamp.

Apart from inventing the electric lamp, Edison also explored greater attempts to make optimum use of electricity. Thus, he invented the electric generator, which was an innovation from the electric lamp, wherein this generator was used for lighting the incandescent lamps of its users (PBS Online, 2000). It became apparent that Edison's invention (electric lamp) led to the creation of another invention (electric generator), illustrating the rapid progress of technological development because of Edison's goal to make maximum use of electricity to make people's domestic lives easier and more improved.