Otis Boykin Inventions and Accomplishments. Otis Boykin, who was born in 1920, was an avid inventor. His father was a carpenter, and his mother was a homemaker. His designs are still in use in nearly all aspects of electronic gadgets. Drew was a physician, surgeon, and medical researcher who worked with a team at Red Cross on groundbreaking discoveries around blood transfusions. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. In 1872 he developed a lubricating cup that could automatically drip oil when and where needed vital in avoiding sticking to the track. Otis Boykin. While in college, he landed a job testing automatic aircraft controls at an aerospace laboratory close to the university. 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. He majored in electronic resistors. Copyright 1997 - 2023 Black Facts. Boykin died in 1982 in Chicago. (2021, February 16). May 3, 2014. Normally, a resistor is designed to have a specific amount of resistance, depending on the type of task or device it is designated for. With a scientific mindset, Otis Boykin had a keen interest in electronic gadgets. Did you ever enjoy water gun fights as a kid? Boykin sought and received a patent for a wire precision resistor on June 16, 1959. [15] His most famous invention was likely a control unit for the artificial cardiac pacemaker. He began to invent products on his own, with some of his noteworthy inventions including a wire precision resistor used in televisions and radios and a control unit for the pacemaker. Additionally, according to U.S. patent No. 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. Among his other inventions is a burglar-proof cash register.[16]. The transistor radio was one of the many devices affected by his work. Best Known For: Otis Boykins noteworthy inventions include a wire precision resistor and a control unit for the pacemaker. 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. All Rights Reserved. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/otis-boykin-biography-1991373. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Nilsen Research Laboratory. After graduating from high school, he attended Fisk College in Nashville, Tennessee, graduating in 1941. Boykins invention significantly reduced the cost of production of hundreds of electronic devices while making them much more reliable than previously possible. info-lemelson@mit.edu 617-253-3352, Bridge to Invention and Inclusive Innovation Program. [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. Otis BoykinAt the time, the field of electronics was very popular among the science community and Boykin took a special interest in working with resistors. At the Chicago based firm, Boykin rose from a lab assistant to the post of a supervisor within three years. 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. Boykins inventions included a chemical air filter, a burglar-proof cash register, and an improved electrical resistor. Today, Dr. Shirley Jackson is the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Source: Black History Resources. A pacemaker is a medical device, placed inside the body, that helps the heart to beat steadily. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Aug 29, 1920; fave; like; share; Boykin was born on August 29, 1920 in Dallas, Texas. His other claim to fame came from working on the Manhattan Project. Otis Boykin: Improved the Pacemaker. In 1944, he moved on to work for the P.J. In some accounts, it was said that Boykin was moved to work on the device after losing his mother to heart failure. "Boykin's Electric Device Aid in Eisenhower Crisis. She also played a major role in the emergency of online video, later serving on the senior management team at Hulu. 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. 2005), http://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/otis-boykin; Otis Boykin, After graduating from Fisk in 1941, Boykin began working as a lab assistant for Majestic Radio and TV Corporation, in Chicago, Illinois, eventually rising to the rank of supervisor. Hes published papers in mathematics, optics, and nuclear engineering. To protect his inventions from imitations, Otis Boykin patented all his researches. Otis Boykins noteworthy inventions include a wire precision resistor and a control unit for the pacemaker. To further his studies, he enrolled for a Master Degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1946. Otis Boykin was an inventor responsible for many important electrical devices that are used in modern times, most notably the electrical resistor. Boykincontinued to work on resistors until he died of heart failure in 1982 in Chicago. He graduated from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1941. That same year, Emeagwali received the Gordon Bell Prize for his application of the CM-2 massively-parallel computer. He rose in the ranks, ultimately serving as a supervisor. September 14, 1968; Otis Boykin, Famous Black Inventors: A Rich Thanks to the increased reliability of Boykins new resistor designs, paired with their reduced cost, IBM began using them in their computers, and the United States military applied the technology to the production of guided missiles. 2,972,726, this resistor had the ability to withstand extreme accelerations and shocks and great temperature changes without danger of breakage of the fine resistance wire or other detrimental effects. Otis Boykin's noteworthy inventions include a wire precision resistor and a control unit for the pacemaker. He graduated in 1941 and took a job as a laboratory assistant with the Majestic Radio and TV Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Otiss work was instrumental in making the components of the pacemaker longer-lasting and manufacturable at a lower cost, which in turn helped increase access to the therapy to improve patient care, Mouchawar said. It was here that he did much of his pacemaker research. Boykin's inventions also helped the world achieve the technology so prevalent today. His father served as the pastor of the Old Primitive Baptist Church in Dallas. By 1944, he was working for the P.J. The advances incorporated into Boykins resistor meant that many electronic devices, including consumer goods and military equipment, could be made more cheaply and with greater reliability than provided by earlier options. He also made chemical air filters. His venture did not last for long. The lubricating cup met with enormous success and orders for it came in from railroad companies all over the country. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Boykin died of heart failure in Chicago in 1982. He patented an electrical resistor in 1961 that was easy to produce and inexpensive. How Does Camp Invention Build Childrens Self-Esteem? "Otis Boykin." By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. 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. Boykin earned his first patent in 1959 for a wire precision resistor, which allowed for the designation of a precise amount of resistance for a specific purpose. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Otis Boykin, Birth Year: 1920, Birth date: August 29, 1920, Birth State: Texas, Birth City: Dallas, Birth Country: United States. 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. Some of his lesser known inventions include a burglar-proof cash register and a chemical air filter - both of which were never produced. The entrepreneurial bug bit early, and he soon. His resistor was quickly incorporated into a number of products, including guided missiles and IBM computers in the United States and overseas. His father was a carpenter who later became a preacher. So the next time youre escaping a hot day inside your cool house, dont forget to thank Lewis Latimer. 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 Frank Boykin was born on August 29, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. Drew was one of the most prominent doctors working in his field, and one of the only African-Americans, during a time when blood donation was still separated along lines of race. Otis Boykin, Improved Electrical Resistor, Lemelson-MIT (September He invented a resistor (a type of electrical device) that has been used in many products, including computers. Otis Boykin (1920-1982) According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Otis Boykin was an inventor whose work with electrical resistors paved the way for the first successful pacemaker. Today, you can catch Lisa at the White House, in the United States Digital Service. He attended classes in 1946 and 1947 but was forced to drop out because he lacked the funds to pay the next years tuition. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. "Personalities--Plus. The most famous of his inventions was the resistor used in the heart by-pass gadget, also known as the heart pacesetter. He focused primarily on resistors technology that reduces the flow of electricity to allow the safe operation of an electronic device. Aside from the resistor, Boykins most notable invention might be circuit improvements made to the pacemaker. Otis Frank Boykin was born on August 29, 1920, in Dallas, Texas. And thanks to the Academy Award nominated film, Hidden Figures, were now all familiar with the amazing contributions of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. In 1944, Boykin began working for the P.J. [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. Meet Marie Van Brittan Brown. Two years later, in 1961, Boykin earned a patent for an improved version of this concept, an inexpensive and easily producible electrical resistor model with the ability to withstand extreme accelerations and shocked and great temperature changes without change or breakage of the fine resistance wire or other detrimental effects.. One of his inventions was a control unit that improved the . The construction of the honeycombed inspired him to rethink computer processing. Otis Boykin was born in Dallas, Texas on August 29, 1920. Most notably, however, his work enabled control functions for the first successful, implantable pacemaker. [4] Boykin attended Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas, where he was the valedictorian, graduating in 1938. 1920. Found in everything from televisions to smartphones, variations of Boykins resistor designs enable the precise regulation of electrical current within a circuit. Boykins Electric Device Aid in Eisenhower Crisis, Pittsburgh Courier, We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. -. [12] He is best known for inventing multiple different electronic control devices in guided missiles, IBM computers, and in the pacemaker. Otis Boykin was born on Sunday, 242 nd day / 35 th week of 1920 Otis Boykin has Virgo zodiac sign and Earth element based on western astrology Boykin created the electrical capacitator in 1965 and an electrical resistance capacitor in 1967 as well as a number of consumer products ranging from a burglar-proof cash register to a chemical air filter. Another mentor was Dr. Hal F. Fruth, with whom he collaborated on several experiments, including a more effective way to test automatic pilot control units in airplanes. Despite his input, Boykin died of a heart attack himself. [10], After the suit was eventually dismissed, and his career at CTS had ended, he opened his own consulting and research company, with offices in both the US and Paris, France. Login to BlackFacts.com using your favorite Social Media Login. His father was a carpenter, who later became a minister. Nilsen Research Labs in Illinois. His father started as a carpenter but later became a church minister. ThinkGrowth.org is no longer accepting guest post submissions. In honor of Black History Month, this column features Boykin's storyan incomplete tale woven together from limited details available about his life. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! He developed a corded wire resistor in 1959. Enter the email address and password you used to join BlackFacts.com. Due to cost, Philip Emeagwali was forced to drop out of school at age 14. Boykin died of heart failure in Chicago in 1982. The early demise of his mother through a heart failure inspired him to help others. [1] His inventions include electrical resistors used in computing, missile guidance, and pacemakers . Boykin decided to pursue his graduate education at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1946. Biography: Inventor, 1920-1982, Bio, http://www.biography.com/people/otis-boykin-538792; Frances T. Matlock, Enjoy water gun fights as a supervisor that helps the heart to beat.! Church in Dallas, Texas, Tennessee, graduating in 1938 electricity to the... The funds to pay the next time youre escaping a hot day your... So the next years tuition artificial cardiac pacemaker which were never produced electrical that. For a wire precision resistor and a control unit for the P.J world achieve the Technology prevalent! 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