1858-1916

American inventor who designed the induction coil, or transformer, that revolutionized the transmission of electricity. This device allowed the transmission of electricity over long distances via alternating current (AC), rather than the impractical direct current (DC) in use at that time. Inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse hired Stanley as his chief engineer at his Pittsburgh factory in order to design the induction coil. During his lifetime, Stanley was granted 129 patents covering a wide range of electronic devices.