Lee de Forest | |
|---|---|
 Lee de Forestc. 1904 | |
| Born | (1873-08-26)August 26, 1873 Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | June 30, 1961(1961-06-30) (aged 87) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Yale College (Sheffield Scientific School) |
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Known for | Three-electrode vacuum-tube (Audion), sound-on-film recording (Phonofilm) |
| Spouses | |
| Relatives | Calvert DeForest (grandnephew) |
| Awards | IEEE Medal of Honor(1922) Elliott Cresson Medal(1923) IEEE Edison Medal(1946) |
Lee de Forest (1873-1961) was anAmericaninventor. His inventions helped to createradio andtelevision. He is sometimesdescribed as the "Father ofRadio".[1] In his lifetime, he had created over 300inventions.
He was born in1873 inCouncil Bluffs,Iowa. His father was aminister. He studied atYale University. He studiedscience and got aPh.D. in 1899.
In 1906, he invented a device called theAudion. It was avacuum tube that couldboost weak electricalsignals. It was critical for makingradio andtelevision tofunction properly. It contained three parts: a filament, a plate, and a grid.[2]
Thefilament heated up and producedelectrons. Theplate collectedelectrons. Thegrid in the center controlled the flow ofelectrons. It allowed the Audion to amplifysignals. Audion was included in radios,televisions, and earlycomputers. It helped make theseinventions morepractical andpopular.
He used Audion to create some of the earlyradiobroadcasts. In 1907, hebroadcast music on theradio inNew York City. He also broadcast from theMetropolitan Opera House.
