Wilson Greatbatch facts for kids

Wilson Greatbatch (born September 6, 1919 – died September 27, 2011) was an American engineer and a very important inventor. He created many new things and held over 325 patents. A patent is like a special permission that says you are the only one who can make or sell your invention for a certain time.

Wilson Greatbatch was honored for his work. He was a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, which celebrates great American inventors. He also received the Lemelson–MIT Prize and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 1990. These awards recognize people who have made big differences with their inventions.

Early Life and Education

Wilson Greatbatch was born in Buffalo, New York. He went to public school in West Seneca. During World War II, he served in the military as an aviation chief radioman. This means he worked with radios on airplanes. He left the military in 1945.

After the war, he used the GI Bill to go to college. The GI Bill helped soldiers pay for their education. He studied electrical engineering at Cornell University and earned his degree in 1950. Later, he got a master's degree from the University at Buffalo in 1957. Wilson loved to tinker with things, and this curiosity led him to invent many important devices.

How the Pacemaker Was Invented

What is a Pacemaker?

A pacemaker is a small device that helps a person's heart beat regularly. It sends electrical signals to the heart to keep it pumping correctly. This is very important for people whose hearts don't beat on their own.

The First Implantable Pacemaker

Wilson Greatbatch is famous for inventing the first successful implantable pacemaker. This means the device could be placed inside a person's body. He worked with a doctor named William Chardack.

Their pacemaker used special batteries called Mallory mercuric oxide-zinc cells. It had a small electronic circuit that created electrical pulses. All these parts were covered in a protective material called epoxy resin. The device was then connected to wires that went into the patient's heart.

This amazing invention was patented, meaning it was officially recognized as Greatbatch's idea. A company called Medtronic in Minneapolis started making and improving these pacemakers. This helped many people with heart problems.

The Lithium-Iodide Battery

A New Kind of Battery

In 1968, another company developed a new type of lithium battery. This battery was special because it could create a high voltage (2.8V). Voltage is like the "push" that makes electricity flow. It also had a lot of energy packed into a small space. However, it had a problem: it couldn't provide much electric current. Because of this, many people thought it wasn't useful.

Greatbatch's Smart Idea

Wilson Greatbatch saw the potential in this battery. He realized that pacemakers didn't need a lot of current, but they did need a long-lasting and reliable power source. So, he decided to try and use this "useless" battery for pacemakers.

He started his work in a rented space at an old factory in North Tonawanda, New York. He worked with a scientist named Ralph Mead to develop the battery further.

The WG1 Cell and Its Impact

In 1971, Greatbatch introduced his improved battery, called the WG1 cell, to pacemaker developers. At first, they weren't very excited. But on July 9, 1974, two inventors, Manuel A. Villafaña and Anthony Adducci, created the world's first pacemaker that used a lithium battery.

The lithium-iodide cell that Greatbatch developed is now the standard battery used in pacemakers. It's perfect because it's small, lasts a long time, and is very dependable. This battery has helped pacemakers become much safer and more effective.

How the Lithium-Iodide Battery Works

In this battery, one part is made of lithium (the anode), and the other part is a special mix of iodine and a plastic (the cathode). When the battery is used by the pacemaker, a thin layer of lithium iodide forms between these two parts.

This layer grows thicker as the battery is used. As it gets thicker, it makes it harder for electricity to flow. This causes the battery's voltage to slowly drop. Pacemaker designers use this drop in voltage to know when the battery is getting low and needs to be replaced. This is a clever way to tell when the pacemaker is nearing its "end of life."

Giving Back to the Community

Wilson Greatbatch was also a generous person. He gave money to Houghton College in New York. His donations helped create a special program for music students. The college's Center for the Arts (CFA) was designed with his help. It includes a concert hall, an art gallery, and practice rooms for music. This building was named the Greatbatch School of Music in his honor. Houghton College also helped Greatbatch with his research by giving him lab space.

In 2009, Wilson and his wife, Eleanor Greatbatch, donated about $10 million. This money was used to build a modern glass building called the Eleanor and Wilson Greatbatch Pavilion. It is located near the Darwin D. Martin House Complex and was designed by a famous architect named Toshiko Mori.

Later Life and Legacy

Wilson Greatbatch passed away on September 27, 2011, at the age of 92. He was an elder at Clarence Presbyterian Church, where he also sang in the choir and taught Sunday school. His inventions, especially the pacemaker and the lithium-iodide battery, have saved countless lives and continue to impact medical technology today.