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The TelephoneThe first telephone came about in 1875, also as a result of an accident. Alexander Graham Bell, with help from his assistant Watson, built a kind of electromechanical ear in the quest to create a "speaking telegraph." Watson had been trying to transmit telegraph signals, and when one of the metal reeds got stuck, he plucked it in an effort to break it free. Bell came rushing into the room to find out what Watson was doing, because he had heard a strong signal from the receiving reed in the other room, strong enough that he knew he could use this simple device to transmit speech. Like many other inventors, Bell took advantage of accidents and mistakes that would have been ignored by someone else.
Last Updated: 02/16/03 |
