Testing, testing. You may have fought a noble battle against a squeaking microphone during your last presentation, or you may be completely averse to using them unless absolutely necessary. The microphone has been our friend (and sometimes foe) for over 140 years. So, where did it all begin?
I Can’t Hear You
Amplifying the voice of a speaker in front of a large crowd has always been tricky. In 600 BC, masks were created with special mouth openings to increase the volume of a voice in an amphitheater. Later in 1665, physicist Robert Hook tested mediums such as wires and cups to see what could best conduct the spoken word.
Hughes vs. Edison
It wasn’t until much later that scientists discovered a way to convert acoustic 
sounds into an electrical voltages, which are converted back into sound waves through speakers: AKA an actual microphone. In the 1870’s, David Edward Hughes developed the first carbon microphone, which is made of two metal plates separated by granules of carbon. When sound hits the plate, the pressure on the granules changes and causes electrical resistance, thus creating the electrical voltages.
As with many other inventions, Thomas “It Was My Idea First” Edison fought Hughes over the first patent after a long legal dispute. However, Hughes was still credited for having a working device years before Edison, and simply made the mistake of sharing his concept freely.
Okay, Thomas Edison Did Help A Little
Thomas Edison refined the carbon microphone, which was later used in telephones as well as the first ever radio broadcast from the New York Metropolitan Opera House in 1910. The carbon microphone evolved into the ribbon microphone in 1942, specially created for radio broadcast. This sparked a whirlwind of further modification and improvement, especially from Bell Laboratories in the 1960’s.
Microphones Today
The modern microphone is a thing of beauty that is sensitive enough to pick up a sneeze. There are also a ton of different varieties for different jobs, including laser microphones, liquid microphones, and fiber optic microphones. If the subject makes you especially excited, “How It’s Made” has a great video showing the process behind it this modern work of science and art.
If you are presenting in front of a crowd on a windy day, take a moment to thank Mr. Hughes for his work on the first microphone. Perhaps also spare a thought for the idea-thieving patent-crazy Thomas Edison, who also did a pretty good job improving the stolen goods.
Question: When was the last time you used a microphone?
