Įdison was raised in the American Midwest early in his career, he worked as a telegraph operator, which inspired some of his earliest inventions. He established the first industrial research laboratory. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees.

These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who has been described as America's greatest inventor.