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Electrical Engineering

Also Known As EE Standard academic/industry abbreviation.
Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism, spanning power generation and distribution, communications and the control systems that depend on them. It emerged as a distinct discipline in the second half of the nineteenth century as telegraphy, electric lighting and electric power moved from laboratory demonstration to widespread infrastructure. The first professional electrical engineering institutions were founded in the United Kingdom and the United States in the later nineteenth century, once practitioners had built a global electric telegraph network, giving the emerging discipline its first professional bodies.

Facts
Disputed
Origin Year
1871 2
The Society of Telegraph Engineers, founded in Britain in 1871 and later renamed the Institution of Electrical Engineers, is generally credited as the first dedicated professional body for the discipline; the American Institute of Electrical Engineers followed in 1884.
Core Concern
Electricity, electronics and electromagnetism, from power to communications. 1
Core Principle
Model and control the flow of electric charge and electromagnetic energy through a circuit or system precisely enough to make it do useful, predictable work. 1
Connections

Associated With

Source Agricultural Engineering (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors

Credited with the first practical telephone, an electrical engineering landmark.

Built early radio-wave receiving apparatus alongside the founding generation of radio engineers.

Amorphous Metal, Materials

Amorphous metal is used in electrical engineering applications (transformer cores, magnetic shielding), a second field beyond its primary materials-engineering field.

Developed early voice-transmitting apparatus in the same period as the telephone invention.

Camera, Inventions

Modern electronic cameras are an electrical and optical engineering product.

Pioneered the use of optical fiber for long-distance telecommunications.

Co-developed the electric telegraph.

Built and patented an early ship-detection radar apparatus.

Computer Engineering, Fields

Computer engineering grew out of electrical engineering as digital logic and processors became a distinct specialty.

Copper, Materials
Electric Generator, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Electric Motor, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Elisha Gray, Engineers

Filed a competing telephone patent caveat on the same day as Bell.

Fax, Inventions
Gallium Arsenide, Materials

A semiconductor material used in high-frequency and optoelectronic devices.

Coined the term laser and developed early laser design concepts.

Graphene, Materials
Source Graphene (Wikipedia)

Discovered electromagnetism, the physical basis of electrical engineering.

Hedy Lamarr, Engineers

Co-invented frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology, a basis of secure radio communication.

Jack Kilby, Engineers

Co-invented the integrated circuit.

Invented the thermionic valve, the first vacuum tube.

Co-invented the transistor.

Demonstrated the first working mechanical television system.

Marine Engineering, Fields

Marine engineering draws on electrical and electronic engineering for shipboard power and control systems.

Source Marine Engineering (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Microphone, Inventions

Built one of the first practical electric motors and pioneered electroplating.

Invented the microwave oven after observing microwave radiations heating effect.

Invented the first fully electronic television system.

Phonograph, Inventions
PTFE, Materials
Source Polytetrafluoroethylene (Wikipedia)
Radar, Inventions
Radio, Inventions
Radio, Inventions
Ray Holt, Engineers

Designed one of the earliest microprocessors, the MP944, for military avionics.

Co-invented the integrated circuit and co-founded Intel.

Led development of practical radar for aircraft detection.

Developed the electric telegraph and Morse code.

Television, Inventions
The Laser, Inventions

Built the first working laser.

Built one of the first practical DC electric motors.

Transformer, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Developed the iconoscope, a key component of electronic television.

Co-invented the transistor.

Co-developed the electric telegraph.

Co-invented the transistor.

Includes

Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Alternator, Inventions
Source Alternator (Wikipedia)
Amplifier, Inventions
Source Amplifier (Wikipedia)
Source Answering machine (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Barcode, Inventions
Source Barcode reader (Wikipedia)
Source Bernard Silver (Wikipedia)
Source Blu-ray (Wikipedia)
Camcorder, Inventions
Source Camcorder (Wikipedia)
Capacitor, Inventions
Source Capacitor (Wikipedia)
Source Carl Wilhelm Siemens (Wikipedia)
Source Cathode ray tube (Wikipedia)
Source Charles F. Brush (Wikipedia)
Source Charles F. Kettering (Wikipedia)
Source Charles Proteus Steinmetz - Wikipedia
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Circuit Breaker (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Claude Shannon (Wikipedia)
Source Closed-circuit television (Wikipedia)
Copper, Materials
Source Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica editors
Diode, Inventions
Source Diode (Wikipedia)
Dynamo, Inventions
Source Dynamo (Wikipedia)
Source Edith Clarke (Wikipedia)
Source Edwin Howard Armstrong
Source Electric Generator (Wikipedia)
Source Kettle (Wikipedia)
Source Electric Motor (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Fuse (electrical) (Wikipedia)
Source Electron-beam lithography, Wikipedia
Elisha Gray, Engineers
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
ER200, Inventions
Source ER200 (Wikipedia)
Fax, Inventions
Source Fax (Wikipedia)
Source Fluorescent Lamp (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
GG1, Inventions
Source Pennsylvania Railroad class GG1 (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Guglielmo Marconi (Wikipedia)
Hedy Lamarr, Engineers

Self-taught and without formal engineering training or credentials; linked here for a real, patented technical contribution rather than professional standing in the field.

Source Hedys Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the WorldRichard Rhodes
Source Hertha Ayrton (Wikipedia)
Source Incandescent Light Bulb (Wikipedia)
Source J. Presper Eckert (Wikipedia)
Jack Kilby, Engineers
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source John Ambrose Fleming (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source John Logie Baird (Wikipedia)
Laser, Inventions
Source Laser (Wikipedia)
Source Lee de Forest (Wikipedia)
Leyden Jar, Inventions
Source Leyden Jar (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Light-Emitting Diode (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Lightning Rod (Wikipedia)
Source Loudspeaker (Wikipedia)
Magnetron, Inventions
Source Cavity magnetron (Wikipedia)
Maser, Inventions
Source Maser (Wikipedia)
Microphone, Inventions
Source Microphone (Wikipedia)
Source Microwave Oven (Wikipedia)
Source Mobile phone (Wikipedia)
Morse Code, Inventions
Source Morse code (Wikipedia)
Source Newman's energy machine (Wikipedia)
Source Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical AgeW. Bernard Carlson
OLED, Inventions
Source OLED (Wikipedia)
Source Optical Fiber (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Oscilloscope (Wikipedia)
Pager, Inventions
Source Pager (Wikipedia)
Source Percy Spencer (Wikipedia)
Perepiteia, Inventions
Source Perepiteia (Wikipedia)
Photodiode, Inventions
Source Photodiode (Wikipedia)
Source Power window (Wikipedia)
Source Printed circuit board (Wikipedia)
Source Quartz clock (Wikipedia)
Radar, Inventions
Radio, Inventions
Source Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica editors
Source Direction finding (Wikipedia)
Source Radio telescope (Wikipedia)
Source Ray Tomlinson (Wikipedia)
Rectifier, Inventions
Source Rectifier (Wikipedia)
Source Reflow soldering (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Reginald Fessenden (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Rotary dial (Wikipedia)
Source Sabbath mode (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Segway, Inventions
Source Segway (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Seymour Cray
Source Shabbat elevator (Wikipedia)
Silicon, Materials
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
SJ Rc, Inventions
Source SJ Rc (Wikipedia)
Solar Cell, Inventions
Source Solar Cell (Wikipedia)
Solenoid, Inventions
Source Solenoid (Wikipedia)
Spark Plug, Inventions
Source Spark plug (Wikipedia)
Source Starter (engine) (Wikipedia)
Source Supercapacitor (Wikipedia)
Source Surface-mount technology, Wikipedia
Teleforce, Inventions
Source Teleforce (Wikipedia)
Telegraph, Inventions
Source Telegraphy (Wikipedia)
Telephone, Inventions
Source Telephone (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Television, Inventions
Source Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica editors
Source Electric Motor (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
The Laser, Inventions
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
Source Optical Fiber (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
Source Technology: A World HistoryDaniel R. Headrick
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Thermocouple (Wikipedia)
Toaster, Inventions
Source Toaster (Wikipedia)
Source Touchscreen (Wikipedia)
Source Transformer (Wikipedia)
Transistor, Inventions
Source Transistor (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Triode, Inventions
Source Triode (Wikipedia)
Source Vacuum Tube (Wikipedia)
Source Vannevar Bush (Wikipedia)
Source Vladimir K. Zworykin (Wikipedia)
Voltmeter, Inventions
Source Voltmeter (Wikipedia)
Source Walkie-talkie (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Wave Transmitter (Wikipedia)
Source Werner von Siemens (Wikipedia)
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Source Wind Turbine (Wikipedia)
Wire Bonding, Methods
Source Wire Bonding (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors

Open Questions

Sources
1. Technology: A World History
Daniel R. Headrick, Oxford University Press, 2009View the Source
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source
Electrical Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section, opening definition of electrical engineering
    Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
  • Lead section, emergence paragraph
    It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the latter half of the 19th century after the commercialization of the electric telegraph, the telephone, and electrical power generation, distribution, and use.
  • History section, 19th century, professional institutions paragraph
    Practitioners had created a global electric telegraph network, and the first professional electrical engineering institutions were founded in the UK and the US to support the new discipline.
View the Source
Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age
W. Bernard Carlson, Princeton University Press, 2013Includes: Nikola Tesla
Hedys Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World
Richard Rhodes, Doubleday, 2011Includes: Hedy Lamarr
A History of Technology
Charles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors, Oxford University Press, 1954
  • Includes: Alexander Graham Bell
  • Includes: Elisha Gray
  • Includes: Antonio Meucci
  • Includes: John Bardeen
  • Includes: Walter Brattain
  • Includes: William Shockley
  • Includes: Samuel Morse
  • Includes: Jack Kilby
  • Includes: Robert Noyce
  • Includes: Theodore Maiman
  • Includes: Gordon Gould
  • Includes: Robert Watson-Watt
  • Includes: Christian Hulsmeyer
View the Source
Marine Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Marine EngineeringView the Source
Agricultural Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Agricultural Engineering, Lead sectionView the Source
Graphene (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: Graphene, Wikipedia: Graphene, lead section, third paragraph
Quote, Associated With: Graphene, Wikipedia: Graphene, lead section, third paragraph
Graphene is known for its exceptionally high tensile strength, electrical conductivity, transparency, and being the thinnest two-dimensional material in the world.
View the Source
Polytetrafluoroethylene (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: PTFE, Applications and uses, Wire insulation, electronics section
Quote, Associated With: PTFE, Applications and uses, Wire insulation, electronics section
The most common use of PTFE, consuming about 50% of production, is for the insulation of wiring in aerospace and computer applications (e.g. hookup wire, coaxial cables).
View the Source
Guglielmo Marconi (Wikipedia)
Includes: Guglielmo Marconi, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Guglielmo Marconi, Lead section
Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi (25 April 1874-20 July 1937), was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based wireless telegraph system.
View the Source
John Logie Baird (Wikipedia)
Includes: John Logie Baird, Lead section
Quote, Includes: John Logie Baird, Lead section
John Logie Baird (; 13 August 1888-14 June 1946) was a Scottish inventor, electrical engineer and innovator who demonstrated the world's first mechanical television system on 26 January 1926.
View the Source
Vladimir K. Zworykin (Wikipedia)
Includes: Vladimir Zworykin, Categories
Quote, Includes: Vladimir Zworykin, Categories
American electrical engineers
View the Source
John Ambrose Fleming (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: John Ambrose Fleming, Lead section
Quote, Includes: John Ambrose Fleming, Lead section
Sir John Ambrose Fleming (29 November 1849-18 April 1945) was an English electrical engineer and physicist.
View the Source
Percy Spencer (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Percy Spencer, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Percy Spencer, Lead section
Percy LaBaron Spencer (July 19, 1894, Howland, Maine, U.S, September 8, 1970, Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.) was an American physicist, electrical engineer, and inventor of the microwave oven.
View the Source
Bernard Silver (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Bernard Silver, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Bernard Silver, Lead section
Bernard Silver (September 21, 1924, August 28, 1963) was an American electrical engineer who co-invented the barcode alongside Norman Joseph Woodland.
View the Source
Edith Clarke (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Edith Clarke, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Edith Clarke, Lead section
Edith Clarke (February 10, 1883, October 29, 1959) was an American electrical engineer and academic.
View the Source
Hertha Ayrton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Hertha Ayrton, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Hertha Ayrton, Lead section
Phoebe Sarah Hertha Ayrton (born Phoebe Sarah Marks; 28 April 1854-26 August 1923), known in her adult life as Hertha Ayrton, was an English electrical engineer, mathematician, physicist and inventor, and suffragette.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Seymour Cray
Includes: Seymour Cray, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Seymour Cray, Lead section
Seymour Roger Cray (September 28, 1925, October 5, 1996) was an American electrical engineer, computer scientist, mathematician, and supercomputer architect who designed a series of computers that were the fastest in the world for decades, and founded Cray Research, which built many of these machines.
View the Source
Charles Proteus Steinmetz - Wikipedia
Includes: Charles Proteus Steinmetz, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Charles Proteus Steinmetz, Lead section
Charles Proteus Steinmetz (born Karl August Rudolph Steinmetz; April 9, 1865, October 26, 1923) was a Prussian-American mathematician and electrical engineer and professor at Union College.
View the Source
Reginald Fessenden (Wikipedia)
Includes: Reginald Fessenden, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Reginald Fessenden, Lead section
Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (October 6, 1866, July 22, 1932) was a Canadian-American electrical engineer and inventor who received hundreds of patents in fields related to radio and sonar between 1891 and 1936 (seven of them after his death).
View the Source
Lee de Forest (Wikipedia)
Includes: Lee de Forest, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Lee de Forest, Lead section
Lee de Forest (August 26, 1873, June 30, 1961) was an American inventor, electrical engineer, and early pioneer in electronics of fundamental importance.
View the Source
Edwin Howard Armstrong
Includes: Edwin Armstrong, Categories
Quote, Includes: Edwin Armstrong, Categories
American electronics engineers
View the Source
Claude Shannon (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Claude Shannon, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Claude Shannon, Lead section
Claude Elwood Shannon (April 30, 1916, February 24, 2001) was an American polymath who was a mathematician, electrical engineer, computer scientist, cryptographer, and inventor known as the "father of information theory", and the man who laid the foundations of the Information Age.
View the Source
Vannevar Bush (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Vannevar Bush, Categories
Quote, Includes: Vannevar Bush, Categories
American electrical engineers
View the Source
Charles F. Kettering (Wikipedia)
Includes: Charles Kettering, Categories
Quote, Includes: Charles Kettering, Categories
American electrical engineers
View the Source
Ray Tomlinson (Wikipedia)
Includes: Ray Tomlinson, Categories
Quote, Includes: Ray Tomlinson, Categories
American electrical engineers
View the Source
Charles F. Brush (Wikipedia)
Includes: Charles F. Brush, Categories
Quote, Includes: Charles F. Brush, Categories
American electrical engineers
View the Source
Optical Fiber (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Includes: The Optical Fiber, Categories
    Telecommunications equipment
  • Includes: Optical Fiber, Categories
    Telecommunications equipment
View the Source
Microwave Oven (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Microwave Oven, Categories
Quote, Includes: Microwave Oven, Categories
Microwave technology
View the Source
Fax (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Fax, Categories
Quote, Includes: Fax, Categories
Telecommunications equipment
View the Source
Wind Turbine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Wind Turbine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Wind Turbine, Categories
Electrical generators
View the Source
Light-Emitting Diode (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Light-Emitting Diode, Categories
Quote, Includes: Light-Emitting Diode, Categories
Optical diodes
View the Source
Alternator (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Alternator, Categories
Quote, Includes: Alternator, Categories
Electrical generators
View the Source
Leyden Jar (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Leyden Jar, Categories
Quote, Includes: Leyden Jar, Categories
Capacitors
View the Source
OLED (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: OLED, Categories
Quote, Includes: OLED, Categories
Optical diodes
View the Source
Telephone (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Telephone, Categories
Quote, Includes: Telephone, Categories
Telecommunications equipment
View the Source
Dynamo (Wikipedia)
Includes: Dynamo, Categories
Quote, Includes: Dynamo, Categories
Electrical generators
View the Source
Capacitor (Wikipedia)
Includes: Capacitor, Categories
Quote, Includes: Capacitor, Categories
Capacitors
View the Source
Transistor (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Transistor, Categories
Quote, Includes: Transistor, Categories
Semiconductor devices
View the Source
Oscilloscope (Wikipedia)
Includes: Oscilloscope, Categories
Quote, Includes: Oscilloscope, Categories
Electronic test equipment
View the Source
Diode (Wikipedia)
Includes: Diode, Categories
Quote, Includes: Diode, Categories
Semiconductor devices
View the Source
Mobile phone (Wikipedia)
Includes: Mobile Phone, Categories
Quote, Includes: Mobile Phone, Categories
Telephony
View the Source
Answering machine (Wikipedia)
Includes: Answering Machine, Categories
Quote, Includes: Answering Machine, Categories
Telephony
View the Source
Pager (Wikipedia)
Includes: Pager, Categories
Quote, Includes: Pager, Categories
Telecommunications equipment
View the Source
Supercapacitor (Wikipedia)
Includes: Supercapacitor, Categories
Quote, Includes: Supercapacitor, Categories
Capacitors
View the Source
Maser (Wikipedia)
Includes: Maser, Categories
Quote, Includes: Maser, Categories
Microwave technology
View the Source
Voltmeter (Wikipedia)
Includes: Voltmeter, Categories
Quote, Includes: Voltmeter, Categories
Electronic test equipment
View the Source
Photodiode (Wikipedia)
Includes: Photodiode, Categories
Quote, Includes: Photodiode, Categories
Optical diodes
View the Source
Cavity magnetron (Wikipedia)
Includes: Magnetron, Categories
Quote, Includes: Magnetron, Categories
Microwave technology
View the Source
Electric Motor (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Includes: The Electric Motor, Categories
    Electric motors
  • Includes: Electric Motor, Categories
    Electric motors
View the Source
Microphone (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Microphone, Categories
Quote, Includes: Microphone, Categories
Television technology
View the Source
Vacuum Tube (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Vacuum Tube, Categories
Quote, Includes: Vacuum Tube, Categories
Electrical components
View the Source
Lightning Rod (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Lightning Rod, Categories
Quote, Includes: Lightning Rod, Categories
Electric arcs
View the Source
Electron-beam lithography, Wikipedia
Includes: Electron Beam Lithography, Categories
Quote, Includes: Electron Beam Lithography, Categories
Electron beam
View the Source
Transformer (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Transformer, Categories
Quote, Includes: Transformer, Categories
Electric power conversion
View the Source
Touchscreen (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Touchscreen, Categories
Quote, Includes: Touchscreen, Categories
Electronic display devices
View the Source
Circuit Breaker (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Circuit Breaker, Categories
Quote, Includes: Circuit Breaker, Categories
Electric power systems components
View the Source
Surface-mount technology, Wikipedia
Includes: Surface-Mount Technology, Categories
Quote, Includes: Surface-Mount Technology, Categories
Electronic design
View the Source
Blu-ray (Wikipedia)
Includes: Blu-ray Disc, Categories
Quote, Includes: Blu-ray Disc, Categories
High-definition television
View the Source
SJ Rc (Wikipedia)
Includes: SJ Rc, Categories
Quote, Includes: SJ Rc, Categories
Bo′Bo′ electric locomotives
View the Source
Wave Transmitter (Wikipedia)
Includes: Wave Transmitter, Categories
Quote, Includes: Wave Transmitter, Categories
Radio technology
View the Source
Pennsylvania Railroad class GG1 (Wikipedia)
Includes: GG1, Categories
Quote, Includes: GG1, Categories
Electric locomotives of the United States
View the Source
Rectifier (Wikipedia)
Includes: Rectifier, Categories
Quote, Includes: Rectifier, Categories
Electric power conversion
View the Source
Cathode ray tube (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Cathode Ray Tube, Categories
Quote, Includes: Cathode Ray Tube, Categories
Television technology
View the Source
Direction finding (Wikipedia)
Includes: Radio Direction Finder, Categories
Quote, Includes: Radio Direction Finder, Categories
Radio-frequency identification
View the Source
Telegraphy (Wikipedia)
Includes: Telegraph, Categories
Quote, Includes: Telegraph, Categories
Telecommunications
View the Source
Laser (Wikipedia)
Includes: Laser, Categories
Quote, Includes: Laser, Categories
Lasers
View the Source
Morse code (Wikipedia)
Includes: Morse Code, Categories
Quote, Includes: Morse Code, Categories
Amateur radio
View the Source
Segway (Wikipedia)
Includes: Segway, Categories
Quote, Includes: Segway, Categories
Electric two-wheel vehicles
View the Source
Amplifier (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Amplifier, Categories
Quote, Includes: Amplifier, Categories
Electronic amplifiers
View the Source
Radio telescope (Wikipedia)
Includes: Radio Telescope, Categories
Quote, Includes: Radio Telescope, Categories
Radio telescopes
View the Source
Printed circuit board (Wikipedia)
Includes: Printed Circuit Board, Categories
Quote, Includes: Printed Circuit Board, Categories
Electrical engineering
View the Source
Spark plug (Wikipedia)
Includes: Spark Plug, Categories
Quote, Includes: Spark Plug, Categories
Electric arcs
View the Source
J. Presper Eckert (Wikipedia)
Includes: J. Presper Eckert, Lead section
Quote, Includes: J. Presper Eckert, Lead section
John Adam Presper "Pres" Eckert Jr. (April 9, 1919, June 3, 1995) was an American electrical engineer and computer pioneer.
View the Source
Werner von Siemens (Wikipedia)
Includes: Werner von Siemens, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Werner von Siemens, Lead section
Ernst Werner Siemens (von Siemens from 1888; SEEM-ənz; German: [ˈziːməns, -mɛns]; 13 December 1816-6 December 1892) was a German electrical engineer, inventor and industrialist.
View the Source
Carl Wilhelm Siemens (Wikipedia)
Includes: Carl Wilhelm Siemens, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Carl Wilhelm Siemens, Lead section
Sir Carl Wilhelm Siemens (4 April 1823-19 November 1883), anglicised to Charles William Siemens, was a German-British electrical engineer and businessman.
View the Source
Barcode reader (Wikipedia)
Includes: Barcode, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Barcode, Lead section
Like a flatbed scanner, it consists of a light source, a lens, and a light sensor for translating optical impulses into electrical signals.
View the Source
Incandescent Light Bulb (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Incandescent Light Bulb, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Incandescent Light Bulb, Lead section
An incandescent light bulb, also known as an incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe, is an electric light that produces illumination by Joule heating a filament until it glows.
View the Source
Loudspeaker (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Loudspeaker, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Loudspeaker, Lead section
A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or, more fully, a speaker system) is a combination of one or more speaker drivers, an enclosure, and electrical connections (possibly including a crossover network).
View the Source
Toaster (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Toaster, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Toaster, Lead section
A toaster is a small electric appliance that uses radiant heat to cook sliced bread into toast.
View the Source
Wire Bonding (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Wire Bonding, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Wire Bonding, Lead section
Wire bonding is a method of making interconnections between an integrated circuit (IC) or other semiconductor device and its packaging during semiconductor device fabrication.
View the Source
Electric Generator (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Electric Generator, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Electric Generator, Lead section
In electricity generation, a generator, also called an electric generator, electrical generator, and electromagnetic generator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an external circuit.
View the Source
Solar Cell (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Solar Cell, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Solar Cell, Lead section
A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell (PV cell), is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by using the photovoltaic effect.
View the Source
Reflow soldering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Reflow Soldering, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Reflow Soldering, Lead section
Reflow soldering is a process in which a solder paste (a sticky mixture of powdered solder and flux) is used to temporarily attach anywhere from one to thousands of tiny electrical components to their contact pads, after which the entire assembly is subjected to controlled heat.
View the Source
Fluorescent Lamp (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Fluorescent Lamp, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Fluorescent Lamp, Lead section
An electric current in the gas excites mercury vapor, to produce ultraviolet and make a phosphor coating in the lamp glow.
View the Source
ER200 (Wikipedia)
Includes: ER200, Lead section
Quote, Includes: ER200, Lead section
The ER200 was a Soviet electric train built in Riga by Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca.
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Shabbat elevator (Wikipedia)
Includes: Shabbat elevator, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Shabbat elevator, Lead section
A Shabbat elevator is an elevator which works in a special mode, operating automatically, to satisfy the Jewish religious law requiring Jews to abstain from operating electrical switches on Shabbat.
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Teleforce (Wikipedia)
Includes: Teleforce, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Teleforce, Lead section
Tesla claimed to have conceived of it after studying the Van de Graaff generator.
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Sabbath mode (Wikipedia)
Includes: Sabbath Mode, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Sabbath Mode, Lead section
The mode usually overrides the usual, everyday operation of the electrical appliance and makes the operation of the appliance comply with the rules of Halakha (Jewish law).
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Newman's energy machine (Wikipedia)
Includes: Newman's Energy Machine, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Newman's Energy Machine, Lead section
Newman's Energy Machine was a DC motor which the inventor, Joseph Newman, claimed to produce mechanical power exceeding the electrical power being supplied to it.
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Perepiteia (Wikipedia)
Includes: Perepiteia, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Perepiteia, Lead section
Perepiteia is claimed to be a new generator developed by the Canadian inventor Thane Heins.
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Solenoid (Wikipedia)
Includes: Solenoid, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Solenoid, Lead section
The coil can produce a uniform magnetic field in a volume of space when an electric current is passed through it.
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Fuse (electrical) (Wikipedia)
Includes: Electrical Fuse, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Electrical Fuse, Lead section
In electronics and electrical engineering, a fuse is an electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit.
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Closed-circuit television (Wikipedia)
Includes: Closed-Circuit Television, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Closed-Circuit Television, Lead section
Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors.
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Rotary dial (Wikipedia)
Includes: Rotary Dial, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Rotary Dial, Lead section
A rotary dial is a component of a telephone or a telephone switchboard that implements a signaling technology in telecommunications known as pulse dialing.
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Triode (Wikipedia)
Includes: Triode, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Triode, Lead section
A triode is an electronic amplifying vacuum tube (or thermionic valve in British English) consisting of three electrodes inside an evacuated glass envelope: a heated filament or cathode, a grid, and a plate (anode).
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Walkie-talkie (Wikipedia)
Includes: Walkie-Talkie, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Walkie-Talkie, Lead section
A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver or handheld radio, is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver.
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Kettle (Wikipedia)
Includes: Electric Kettle, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Electric Kettle, Lead section
There are two main types: the stovetop kettle, which uses heat from a hob, and the electric kettle, which is a small kitchen appliance with an internal heating element.
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Quartz clock (Wikipedia)
Includes: Quartz Clock, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Quartz Clock, Lead section
Quartz clocks and quartz watches are timepieces that use an electronic oscillator regulated by a quartz crystal to keep time.
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Camcorder (Wikipedia)
Includes: Camcorder, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Camcorder, Lead section
A camcorder is a self-contained portable electronic device with video and audio recording as its primary function.
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Power window (Wikipedia)
Includes: Power Window, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Power Window, Lead section
Power windows or electric windows are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by pressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a crank handle.
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Starter (engine) (Wikipedia)
Includes: Starter Motor, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Starter Motor, Lead section
Starters can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic.
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Thermocouple (Wikipedia)
Includes: Thermocouple, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Thermocouple, Lead section
A thermocouple, also known as a thermoelectrical thermometer, is an electrical device consisting of two dissimilar electrical conductors forming an electrical junction.
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Open Questions (1 open question)
Who should be credited as inventor of the integrated circuit: Jack Kilby (hybrid IC, Texas Instruments, 1958) or Robert Noyce (monolithic IC, Fairchild Semiconductor, 1959)?

Wikipedia's electrical engineering article states plainly that "the first integrated circuits were the hybrid integrated circuit invented by Jack Kilby...in 1958 and the monolithic integrated circuit chip invented by Robert Noyce...in 1959," naming two independent inventors and two designs rather than one. Kilby received the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics partly for this work; Noyce, who died in 1990, could not share it. This is exactly the kind of priority dispute the technology atlas records as the field's character.

What would resolve this Historians of technology generally treat this as a case of near-simultaneous independent invention rather than a resolvable priority question; what would resolve it is a family-wide decision on how to record dual/independent invention rather than forcing a single credited inventor.
Wikipedia contributors, Electrical Engineering (Wikipedia)
Frequently Asked Questions

When did electrical engineering emerge as its own recognized occupation?

Electrical engineering became an identifiable occupation in the second half of the nineteenth century, after the electric telegraph, the telephone, and electrical power generation, distribution and use were all commercialized, giving the underlying science an industry large enough to need engineers of its own.
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