What is james t. russell?

James T. Russell was an American inventor and engineer, born on March 21, 1931, in Bremerton, Washington, United States. He was known for inventing the world's first digital compact disc (CD) in 1965 which revolutionized the music, video and data storage industry.

Russell studied at Reed College and later received his Master's degree in Physics from Johns Hopkins University. He worked at various companies including Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Boeing, and General Electric, before joining the technology research firm Battelle Memorial Institute in Ohio where he worked on developing the CD.

In 1965, Russell invented the first digital optical disc by recording music on a reflective coated disc using a laser beam and photosensitive layer. His invention was later commercialized by Sony and Philips in the late 1970s, resulting in the massive growth of the music and video industry. CDs became the primary format for audio recordings replacing vinyl records.

Russell received several awards, including induction into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He died at the age of 87 on March 28, 2018, in Saratoga, California, United States.