The first thing that comes to mind when we hear the name Stanford Ovshinsky (Avşınski) may be the world-famous Stanford University in America, but it is useful to know that there is not the slightest connection between Stanford Ovshinsky and Stanford University.
Speaking of, to mention; Stanford University is a university founded by wealthy businessman and California Governor Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane Stanford, in memory of their son, Leland Stanford Jr, who died at the age of 16. So much so that the motto of the university, which has not changed for years, is “California’s children will be our children. ” is in the form. Stanford Ovshinsky, whose life we will talk about today, has no ties to this family. Let’s find out together how Stanford Ovshinsky changed our lives.
Stanford Ovshinsky’s early life with forced migration
Full name Stanford Robert Ovshinsky; He was born in 1922 in Akron, Ohio, USA, as the son of a Lithuanian Jewish family who had to leave Eastern Europe in 1905 and immigrated to the United States.
Father Ovshinsky (Benjamin) set an example for his son Ovshinsky in many ways, especially on the importance of labor and the working class. Father Ovshinsky collected metal waste from factories and sold waste for a long time due to forced migration for his family’s livelihood.
Circumstances made Ovshinsky an inventor
Stanford Ovshinsky learned professional and theoretical knowledge at the Jewish Vocational Schools operating in America during his primary and secondary education. After this qualified education, before completing his high school education, he was engaged in jobs such as tool maker, vocational teacher and machinist in large and small rubber companies.
Ovshinsky, who developed himself in the field of business in the early period, II. He started working for Goodyear company during World War II. After the war, he opened a humble business with his little savings. Here he aimed to develop products for humanity and the world to have a better future. As a matter of fact, this was the most important thing he learned from his father, who passed away, and from the vocational schools where he was educated.
He was relieved financially with his first important invention and started to make his name known.
In the small shop he opened, he invented a lathe named after his father. This lathe played a key role in the Korean War’s ability for the United States to produce larger and more advanced munitions.
Ovshinsky made a certain fortune with this invention. Ovshinsky, who later sold the company and the patent; He moved to Detroit in 1951 to become more interested in disciplines such as neurophysiology, neurology and cybernetics and to develop products in this field.
Ovshinsky’s Detroit adventure
Hupp Motor Car Company offered a job to Ovshinsky, who moved to Detroit. Ovshinsky, who wanted cars to be more environmentally friendly, accepted this offer.
Ovshinsky, who worked as R&D Director at Hupp Motor Car Company, patented the power steering here, but due to some problems experienced by the company, this technology could not be put into use at first. Later, Ovshinsky transferred to the General Automation company. Here, too, he patented the mechanical nerve cell.
Ovshinsky establishes his first large company
Ovshinsky founded the Energy Conversion Laboratory (ECL) in 1960. Ovshinsky, who patented the writable cd/dvd during this period, changed the name of ECL to Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) in 1964.
In 1966, he successfully produced pixels on thin glass screens. Maybe this invention, which was not very suitable for use at that time, came to the present day by multiplying its value. This technology is used in today’s smart phones, televisions and laptop computers.
Ovshinsky’s team focused particularly on rechargeable batteries and solar panels during this period. Ovshinsky patented electronic memory, rechargeable battery and solar energy panels in this process.
Ovshinsky’s death and the traces he left behind
Ovshinsky with his invention of the nickel metal hydride battery
ECD, as a company, profited most from nickel metal hydride batteries (hydride, not hybrid, you read correctly). Ovshinsky finally founded LLC in 2006 and is now in retirement, so to speak. He passed away in 2012 due to prostate cancer.
If it were not for Ovshinsky; screen technology may not have advanced that much and we would not be able to use smart phones, LCD televisions or laptops.
Some thoughts on Ovshinsky and the electric car process
Ovshinsky has been touted as the most important energy visionary of the modern world by the written and visual media many times during his lifetime. Ovshinsky, who received about 400 patents throughout his life; He is an engineer, scientist, and inventor. His achievements are likened to Thomas Edison by many.
Ovshinsky, published in 2006, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” In the documentary (Who Killed the Electric Car?), he explained, “Everything was ready for the electric car in 1990, we successfully completed all the tests, but many automobile giants, especially General Motors and Ford, refused, saying that the world was not ready for this technology.”
What do you guys think about this saying of Ovshinsky? Why do you think auto giants may have opposed electric vehicles in the past? Did you guess that Ovshinsky was a person who influenced our lives so much? You can specify in the comments.
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