Inventive Minds

Procedure

A.) Print out this sheet of questions.
B.) Read all of the material indicated for each section.
C.) You may write your responses right on the sheet of questions that you have printed out or you may choose to email me your responses. If you choose to email me your answers, keep open an EMAIL form and then 'toggle' between the questions, the text, and your written responses. You may want to have two windows open on your screen to facilitate this process.
D.) You'll find all of the information to answer the questions below at M.I.T.'s Invention Dimension site.
E.) Please answer in complete sentences.

Jerome Lemelson

1. What did Lemelson as a child invent for his father, a physician?

2. From 1934-1956, Lemelson applied for the first automatic patents, including his "machine vision" system. What did this system consist of?

3. What invention licensed to Sony made possible the Walkman?

4. Explain how Lemelson would keep track of all the ideas that would suddenly occur to him?

5. Who was Lemelson's personal idol?

Paul MacCready

6. What was the Gossamer Condor made from?

7. Using a dictionary. Find the meaning of the following words:
. . . . . gossamer =

. . . . . condor =

. . . . . albatross =

8. In order to win the Henry Kremer prize, what did the human-powered airplane have to do?

9. In 1978, what body of water did the Gossamer Albatross fly across?

10.In 1980, another MacCready plane flew from Paris to England. How was this plane powered?

11. Where would you have to go if you wanted to see the Gossamer Condor?

Grace Hopper

12. Detail Grace Hopper's educational background?
13. In 1952, Hopper invented the first computer "compiler." Why was this significant?

14. Explain why Hopper had the clock in her office run counterclockwise?

15. What is COBOL?

16. What was her military rank at the time she retired in 1986?

Henry Ford

17. What did Ford invent that revolutionized the way cars were made and what they would cost?

18. Explain the principle of "division of labor" as it applied to work in his factory.

19. In what year did Ford's company begin selling his famous Model T?. . . . . . . . . What was the cost? . . . . .

20. By 1915, how much did the Model T cost?.. . . . . . . Why was the price so much lower?

Thomas Edison

21. What Edison invention of 1879 do we now refer to as the light bulb?

22. When and where did Edison build his "invention factory"?

23. Explain how the idea for the phonograph came to Edison.

24. How many inventions did Edison take out patents on?

Last revised: January 14, 1997

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