James_Russell_(inventor)
James Russell (inventor)
American inventor (born 1931)
James T. Russell (born 1931) is an American inventor. He earned a BA in physics from Reed College in Portland in 1953. He joined General Electric's nearby labs in Richland, Washington, where he initiated many types of experimental instrumentation. He designed and built the first electron beam welder.[1]
In 1965, Russell joined the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of Battelle Memorial Institute in Richland. There, in 1965, Russell invented the overall concept of optical digital recording and playback.[1] He built prototypes, and the first was operating in 1973. In 1973, 1974, 1975 his invention was viewed by about 100 companies, including Philips and Sony, and more than 1500 descriptive brochures were distributed.[citation needed] The concept was picked up by many technical and media magazines beginning in 1972.[citation needed].
In 2000, Russell received The Vollum Award from Reed College.[2]
As of 2004, Russell was consulting from an in-home lab, in Bellevue, Washington.[3]