description James West Overview
James E. West is an American acoustical scientist and inventor who co-developed the foil electret microphone with Gerhard Sessler at Bell Laboratories in the early 1960s. The design uses a permanently charged material, reducing the need for an external polarizing voltage and enabling microphones to be made compactly and inexpensively. Electret microphones became widely used in telephones, recording devices, hearing aids, and other consumer electronics.
help James West FAQ
Who co-invented the electret microphone with James West?
James E. West developed it with German physicist Gerhard Sessler while both worked at Bell Laboratories. Their foil electret microphone was patented in 1962.
How does West's electret microphone differ from an older condenser microphone?
Its electret material carries a long-lasting electric charge, removing the need for a separate high-voltage supply to polarize the microphone capsule. That made microphones compact, inexpensive, and sensitive enough for mass-market electronics.
Where are James West's microphones used?
Electret microphones became standard components in telephones, hearing aids, recording devices, and many other products. Their small size and low manufacturing cost made them especially suitable for portable electronics.
Where did James West work after Bell Labs?
After a long Bell Labs career, West joined Johns Hopkins University as a professor of electrical and computer engineering. He continued research and teaching in acoustics while advocating for greater diversity in science and engineering.
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