FOREIGN INVENTORS

ADHESIVE TAPE Richard G. Drew (1899-1980) invented masking tape and clear adhesive tape (also called cellophane tape or Scotch tape). Drew was an engineer for the 3M company (the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing). Drew's first tape invention was a masking tape made for painters in 1923 (this tape was designed to help painters paint a straight border between two colors). This early masking tape was a wide paper tape with adhesive on only the edges of the tape - not in the middle. Drew made an improved tape called Scotch (TM) Brand Cellulose Tape in 1930. This tape was a clear, all-purpose adhesive tape that was soon adopted worldwide. TELEVISION John Logie Baird (1888-1946) was a Scottish inventor and engineer who was a pioneer in the development of mechanical television. In 1924, Baird televised objects in outline. In 1925, he televised human faces. In 1926, Baird was the first person to televise pictures of objects in motion. In 1930, Baird made the first public broadcast of a TV show, from his studio to the London Coliseum Cinema; the screen consisted of a 6-ft by 3-ft array of 2,100 tiny flashlamp bulbs. Baird developed a color television in 1928, and a stereo television in 1946. Baird's also worked on electronic television. BALLPOINT PEN The first non-leaking ballpoint pen was invented in 1935 by the Hungarian brothers Lazlo and Georg Biro. Lazlo was a chemist and Georg was a newspaper editor. A ballpoint marker had been invented much earlier (in 1888 by John Loud, an American leather tanner, who used the device for marking leather) but Loud's marker leaked, making it impractical for everyday use. A new type of ink had to be developed; this is what the Biro brothers did. The brothers patented their invention and then opened the first ballpoint manufacturing plant in Argentina, South America. BAND-AID Bandages for wounds had been around since ancient times, but an easy-to-use dressing with an adhesive was invented by Earle Dickson (a cotton buyer at the Johnson & Johnson company). Dickson perfected the BAND-AID in 1920, making a small, sterile adhesive bandage for home use. Dickson invented the BAND-AID for his wife, who had many kitchen accidents and needed an easy-to-use wound dressing.

Dickson was rewarded by the Johnson & Johnson company by being made a vice-president of the company. CAN AND CAN OPENER A metal can (or canister) for preserving food was invented in 1810 by a PeterDurand, of London, England. Metal cans (also called tins) could preserve food for a long period of time. To open a can, a person had to use a hammer and chisel; the can opener wasn't invented for another 50 years. The can opener was invented in 1858 by Ezra Warner of Waterbury, Connecticut, USA. Warner's device used a lever and chisel. Until then, cans were opened using a hammer and chisel; the can opener was invented 50 years after the metal can was invented.

FILIPINO INVENTORS

ERYTHROMYCIN Invented by Dr. Abelardo Aguilar in 1949. He sent a sample to Eli Lilly, who promptly stole the idea and patented it, and later marketed successfully. COMPUTER MICROCHIPS Many types were invented by Diosdado Banatao, beginning with his worlds first 16-bit chip in 1972. ISOLATED RICE BREED In 1996, Dr. Rodolfo Aquino isolated nine specific breeds of rice for the International Research Institute. His discoveries helped prevent famine in much of Asia. DRUG DETECTION Dr. Enrique Ostrea developed the method for detecting drug use by pregnant women by detecting traces in the infants tool. His method is widely used by doctors worldwide in diagnosing drug dependency. MOON BUGGY Invented in 1968 by Eduardo San Juan. He was the project leader for NASA in the buggy development. The buggy allowed greater exploration of the moon.