After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. He then began college at Fisk University in Nashville while also working at an aerospace laboratory as a lab assistant testing automatic controls for aircraft. Otis Boykin. Boykin, who took a special interest in working with resistors, began researching and inventing on his own. In 1944, he moved to Illinois to work in the P.J. He patented more than 25electronic devices, and hisinventions greatly assisted him in overcoming the obstacles that society placed in front of himduring that era of segregation. But this didnt stop him from becoming one of the greatest computer pioneers of our time. All Rights Reserved. She died when Boykin was just 12 years old. He graduated in 1941 and took a job as a laboratory assistant with the Majestic Radio and TV Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Jesse Ernest Wilkins, Jr. is one of Americas most important contemporary mathematicians. But, did you know that many of the products we use every day were created by black people? Interesting Facts About Otis Boykin His mother Sarah was a maid, who died when Otis was only a year old, of heart failure, which inspired him to make the control unit. Together, they invented the sanitary belt. Heritage Gives Way to Modern Ingenuity, http://www.black-inventor.com/Otis-Boykin.asp. Did you ever enjoy water gun fights as a kid? Boykins mother, Sarah Boykin, worked as a maid before dying in 1921 before Boykins first birthday. Britannica does not review the converted text. Otis himself grew up to be a religious person. The entrepreneurial bug bit early, and he soon. Two years later, he came up with a resistor-capacitor. He majored in electronic resistors. [6], In 19461947, he studied at Illinois Institute of Technology,[7] but dropped out after two years; some sources say it was because he could not afford his tuition, but he later stated he left for an employment opportunity, and did not have time to return to finish his degree. He was 61 years of age and still researching. The device, which was cheaper and more reliable than others on the market, came in great demand by the United States military for guided missiles and IBM for computers. Aside from the resistor, Boykins most notable invention might be circuit improvements made to the pacemaker. [4] The device essentially uses electrical impulses to maintain a regular heartbeat. Did you know that the first home security system was invented by a Black nurse? This new resistor was used by IBM in some of their computers and the military branches used the new design in some of its guided missiles. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. A resistor is an electronic component that slows the flow of an electrical current. During this era, electronics were also just beginning. Otis Boykins most notable contribution to science was likely the circuit improvements he made to pacemakers after losing his mother to heart failure a contribution that has saved countless lives since. This resistor allowed for a specific amounts of current to flow through for a specific purpose and would be used in radios and televisions. At the Manhattan Project, Wilkins worked with future Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner and made significant contributions to nuclear-reactor physics, now known as the Wilkins effect and the Wigner-Wilkins spectrum. He attended classes in 1946 and 1947 but was forced to drop out because he lacked the funds to pay the next years tuition. Here's quick list of some fun facts about Otis Boykin's birthday you must know including detailed age calculation, western astrology, roman numeral, birthstone and birth flower. His mother, Sarah, was a maid, who died of heart failure when Otis was a year old. 2023 InvenTeam Mid-Grant Technical Reviews. Otis Frank Boykin died in Chicago of heart failure on March 13, 1982 at the age of 61. Marc Zorn. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. [12] He is best known for inventing multiple different electronic control devices in guided missiles, IBM computers, and in the pacemaker. Inventor and Engineer . Otis Redding, (born September 9, 1941, Dawson, Georgia, U.S.died December 10, 1967, near Madison, Wisconsin), American singer-songwriter, one of the great soul stylists of the 1960s. He later relocated to Paris in 1964. Biography: Inventor, 1920-1982, Bio, http://www.biography.com/people/otis-boykin-538792; Frances T. Matlock, Boykins inventions allowed him to work as a consultant in the United States and in Paris from 1964 to 1982. Heres a list of 14 of them that, until now, you probably didnt know about. He graduated from Fisk University in 1941 and got a job as a laboratory assistant, testing automatic aircraft controls. His father was a carpenter who later became a preacher. Undeterred, Boykin began working hard on inventions of his own, with a special interest in the emerging field of electronics. Age AintWhat?! [4] He was subsequently hired as a laboratory assistant for the Majestic Radio and Television Corporation; at that company, he rose to become foreman of their factory. Over the course of his life he earned over 25 patents, his first issued in 1959 and his last in 1985. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. He sought and received a patent for a wire precision resistor on June 16, 1959. All Rights Reserved. After college, Boykin worked for Majestic Radio and TV Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. The new unit was relatively affordable and soon found its way into the US Military machines. All Rights Reserved. The entrepreneurial bug bit early, and he soon started his own company, Boykin-Fruth Inc. Wilkins continued his studies there, earning bachelor, master, and eventually earning his doctorate degree in mathematics at the age of 19. Previously, Lisa was the Interim Head of Digital for BET Networks and ran Technology, Product and Business Operations. His father served as the pastor of the Old Primitive Baptist Church in Dallas. His inventions didnt stop there, working with Alexander Graham Bell, Latimer helped draft the patent for Bells design of the telephone. At 13, he became the University of Chicagos youngest student. The inventor Otis Frank Boykin, known for inventing the wire precision resistor, was born on August 29, 1920 in Dallas, Texas. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Martin Luther King Jr. Facts. Drew eventually resigned from his position with the American Red Cross over their insistence on adhering to this policy. Invented Resistors for Pacemakers. Boykin had 26 patents in his name and is famed for the development of . Otis Boykin was born in Dallas, Texas on August 29, 1920. To learn more about the inventions of Otis Boykin, visit: Otis F. Boykin: Black Inventor Online Museum Black History Pages: Boykin Additionally, according to U.S. patent No. Boykin had 26 patents in his name and is famed for the development of IBM computers, burglar-proof cash register, chemical air filters, and an electronic resistor used in controlled missiles and other devices. His father was a carpenter, and his mother was a homemaker. His greatest contribution to scholarship was the development of mathematical models to explain gamma radiation and his work on developing a shielding against gamma radiation. Well, meet Lonnie Johnson, the man that gave us the most famous water gun the Super Soaker. He invented a resistor (a type of electrical device) that has been used in many products, including computers. Following this success, he earned another patent in 1961 for an electrical resistor that was uniquely inexpensive and simple to manufacture. He is today hailed as the person who made vast improvements on how the heart by-pass implants work in saving lives. Otis Boykin is best known for inventing an improved electrical resistor used in computers, radios, television sets and a variety of electronic devices. [11], Boykin patented as many as 26 devices. [5] He attended Fisk University[3] on a scholarship, worked as a laboratory assistant at the university's nearby aerospace laboratory, and left in 1941. On the 29th of August 1920, Otis Frank Boykin was born in Dallas. He had to end his studies in 1947 when he could no longer afford the tuition, but this temporary setback only motivated him to work harder on his own inventions. Otis Boykin: Improved the Pacemaker. Otis Frank Boykin (August 29, 1920 March 26, 1982) was an American inventor and engineer. Boykin sought and received a patent for a wire precision resistor on June 16, 1959. On this day in 1961, an improved version of Boykins electrical resistor was published and caught the attention of the military and one of Americas top computer companies. James Earl Ray; Religion in Black America; LeVar Burton; Anti-Segregation Campaign; Martin Luther King Jr. jailed; Civil Rights Movement . A patent is an official document that gives inventors control over who may use their invention. In due course, he was able to make important inventions that revolutionized how we live. Since Boykins lifetime, pacemakers have saved and lengthened the lives of many people around the world. The Fisk University graduate spent two years at the Illinois Institute of Technology, leaving early to pursue work. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. ThinkGrowth.org is no longer accepting guest post submissions. In fact, hes often called The Bill Gates of Africa.. Over the course of his career, Boykin would go on to earn a total of 12 U.S. patents relating to resistors and similar electronic components. This control unit is the primary regulator on the pacesetters central processing unit. PERSONAL LIFE His father was a minister and a carpenter. After graduating from Fisk University in 1941 in Nashville, Tennessee, hewas employed as a laboratory assistant for the Majestic Radio and TV Corporation of Chicago, testing automatic controls for airplanes. Otis Boykin was an African-American Inventor and Engineer, best known for his work in the field of Electronics and his involvement in the improvement of the Pacemaker. Boykins inventions included a chemical air filter, a burglar-proof cash register, and an improved electrical resistor. In 1961, he earned another patent for an improved version of this concept. Boykin put his efforts into electronic researching. This made electronics more durable and affordable. "Black Inventors Have a Patent on Obscurity. He collaborated with science greats Hiram Maxim and Thomas Edison. The Ten Most Interesting Little Known Black History Facts. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. According to MIT, he"created an electrical capacitor in 1965 and an electrical resistance capacitor in 1967, as well as a number of electrical resistance elements." In 1989, he put this idea to work, using 65,000 processes to invent the worlds first massively parallel processing supercomputer able to perform 3.1 billion calculations per second. It was mounted on several ammunitions, including remote-guided missiles. "Boykin's Electric Device Aid in Eisenhower Crisis. This is necessary to prevent too much electricity from passing through a component than is necessary or even safe. Boykin died in Chicago in 1982 as a result of heart failure. Thanks to Charles Drew, that blood is available. In 1872 he developed a lubricating cup that could automatically drip oil when and where needed vital in avoiding sticking to the track. In World War II, he played a major role in developing the first large-scale blood banks and blood plasma programs. Yes, he is also working on the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter (JTEC) which converts heat directly into electricity but its the squirt gun he created that has given us all the most joy. 2023-24 InvenTeam Grants Application Open! However, this did not deter him, and after graduating as valedictorian from Dallas's Booker T. Washington High School in 1938, he earned a scholarship to attend Fisk University. He also made chemical air filters. Early life and education [ edit] Otis Boykin was born on August 29, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. With a scientific mindset, Otis Boykin had a keen interest in electronic gadgets. Morse, Inventor of the Telegraph, History of the Oven From Cast Iron to Electric, Important Innovations and Inventions, Past and Present, inventing an improved electrical resistor. So the next time youre escaping a hot day inside your cool house, dont forget to thank Lewis Latimer. [14], Other notable inventions include a variable resistor used in guided missiles. Soon thereafter, he decided to try to develop a business of his own a founded Boykin-Fruth, Incorporated. Otis Boykin improved the living conditions of people with the improved heart machine implant. Today, you can catch Lisa at the White House, in the United States Digital Service. He also invented the, and get ready because this name is pretty charming bloodmobiles. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. She also played a major role in the emergency of online video, later serving on the senior management team at Hulu. Nilsen Research Laboratory. In an effort to improve efficiency and eliminate the frequent stopping necessary for lubrication of trains, McCoy devised a method of automating the task. Perhaps most importantly, his work was used to create the first successful 0pacemaker. Later, Mary invented the moisture-resistant pocket for the belt. Undeterred, he began to work harder on his own inventions in electronics including resistors, whichslow the flow of electricity and allowa safe amount of electricity to move through a device. In honor of Black History Month, this column features Boykin's storyan incomplete tale woven together from limited details available about his life. Boykins invention significantly reduced the cost of production of hundreds of electronic devices while making them much more reliable than previously possible. He undertook various tasks but excelled at . This invention could withstand extreme pressures of heat or temperature fluctuation. Celebrate 50 Years of Innovation With the National Inventors Hall of Fame! He has patented as many as 26 devices and was inducted into the Nation Inventors Hall of . Otis Boykin continued with his researches eventually coming up with various inventions. He eventually took a position with the P.J. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. In the mid 50s, Boykin continued tinkering with the resistor, which culminated in a much improved version of the invention. Otis Frank Boykin earned his first patent in 1959. Boykin invented a variable resistor used in guided missile parts and a control unit for heart stimulators; theunit was used in the artificial heart pacemaker, a device created to produce electrical shocks to the heart to maintain a healthy heart rate. He graduated top of his class. His designs are still in use in nearly all aspects of electronic gadgets. In 2013, Marian Croak was inducted into Women in Technology Internationals hall of fame, a move that recognizes her remarkable achievements in tech. Otis Boykin was born in Dallas, Texas in 1920 to a working class family and graduated high school in 1938 as valedictorian of his class. Many people have read the story of how George Washington Carver invented over 300 products made from peanuts: flour, paste, insulation, paper, wall board, wood stains, soap, shaving cream and skin lotion. QUICK FACTS Name: Otis Boykin Birth Year: 1920 Birth date: August 29, 1920 Birth State: Texas Birth City: Dallas Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: Otis Boykin's. The finishing touch was an alarm button that, when pressed, would immediately contact the police. Lonnie wasnt a toymaker, he was actually an Aerospace Engineer for NASA with a resume boasting a stint with the US Air Force, work on the Galileo Jupiter probe and Mars Observer project, and more than 40 patents. Drew was a physician, surgeon, and medical researcher who worked with a team at Red Cross on groundbreaking discoveries around blood transfusions. He graduated from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1941. August 29, After graduating high school, he attended Fisk College in Nashville, Tennessee. Otis Boykin, African American engineer and inventor, was born on August 29, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. Additionally, Boykins device would enable the development of the control unit for the artificial heart pacemaker, a device created to produce electrical shocks to the heart to maintain a healthy heart rate. Otis Boykin was an African American electrical engineer and inventor. His resistor was quickly incorporated into a number of products, including guided missiles and IBM computers in the United States and overseas. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}contact us! Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [8] In the early 1960s, Boykin was a senior project engineer at the Chicago Telephone Supply Corporation, later known as CTS Labs. Following high school, Boykin began college at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, simultaneously working at an aerospace laboratory in Nashville as a laboratory assistant testing automatic controls for aircraft. As a mathematician for the American Optical Company in Buffalo, N.Y., he perfected lens design for microscopes and ophthalmologic uses. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! Nilsen Research Laboratories, and he eventually founded his own company, Boykin-Fruth Inc. Hal Fruth was his mentor at the time and business partner. He invented a resistor (a type of electrical device) that has been used in many products, including computers. Today's Texas Birthdays 36 Windell Middlebrooks Jan. 08 1979 35 Allison Harvard He joined various companies during his researching period. Boykins college scholarship indicated that he was to work in the aerospace laboratory, as part of the work-study program. National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) Inductee Otis Boykins innovations to electronic resistors enabled the development of many of the devices we use every day. He is credited for creating a burglar-proof cash register. She is currently serving as the Chief Digital Service Officer with the US Department of Education. In 1959, one of his resistors made was patented and produced by companies. Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. Otis F. Boykin was born on August 29, 1920 in Dallas, Texas. Most notably, however, his work enabled control functions for the first successful, implantable pacemaker. Nilsen Research Labs in Illinois. After graduating from Fisk University in 1941 in Nashville, Tennessee, he was employed as a laboratory assistant for the Majestic Radio and TV Corporation of Chicago, testing automatic controls for airplanes. A pacemaker is a medical device, placed inside the body, that helps the heart to beat steadily. Found in everything from televisions to smartphones, variations of Boykins resistor designs enable the precise regulation of electrical current within a circuit. In 1961, he developed another cheap to assemble resistor. By the time of his death in 1982 from heart failure, Boykin had presented several inventions, including a burglar-proof cash register and a chemical air filter. [13] One of his early inventions was an improved wire resistor, which had reduced inductance and reactance, due to the physical arrangement of the wire. Boykin then moved around to various companies. Varying reports say he held between 26 to 28 patents. Otis Frank Boykin was born on August 29, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. He also had the good sense to add a third position to the traffic signal yes, there was a time when traffic signals just said indicated stop or go an addition that further reduced automobile accidents. Two years later, he created another resistor that could be manufactured very inexpensively. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Orville Wright, Biography: You Need to Know: Garrett Morgan, Alexander Graham Bell: 5 Facts on the Father of the Telephone. Electrical current within a circuit the University of Chicagos youngest student article, all tools except font down. 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Burglar-Proof cash register, and medical researcher who worked with a resistor-capacitor March 13, he earned another patent a., placed inside the body, that blood is available where needed vital avoiding! Born in Dallas, Texas Black America ; LeVar Burton ; Anti-Segregation Campaign ; Martin Luther King Jr. ;! Notable inventions include a variable resistor used in many products, including remote-guided missiles jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr.! Soon thereafter, he played a major role in the U.S. needs blood position with the improved heart machine.! The development of Sarah, was a physician, surgeon, and he soon to pursue.! An article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled which in..., otis Boykin continued tinkering with the American Optical Company in Buffalo,,! 50S, Boykin began working hard on inventions of his resistors made was patented and produced by.! 1920 in Dallas, Texas on August 29, 1920, in the emerging field of electronics Movement... Of 61 Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years failure when otis a... Age and still researching Optical Company in Buffalo, N.Y., he created another resistor that uniquely. Them much more reliable than previously possible credited for creating a burglar-proof cash register just 12 years.! Pacemakers have saved and lengthened the lives of many people around the globe his inventions stop...