The Economic Times

In 1962, James West and Gerhard Sessler patented a small, low-cost microphone; their design is now inside 90% of the 2 billion microphones made each year

In the 1960s, an unexpected incident at Bell Labs propelled James West and Gerhard Sessler into the annals of audio innovation with their electret microphone design. By harnessing Teflon, they crafted a microphone that was not only compact but also energy-efficient. Today, these microphones are ubiquitous in devices like smartphones and hearing aids. Their monumental work has earned them significant accolades in the realm of sound technology.