Gerhard Fischer (inventor)


Gerhard Fisher contributed to the development and popularity of the hand held metal detector.

Biography

Gerhard Fisher immigrated to the United States from Germany after studying electronics at the University of Dresden. While working as a Research Engineer in Los Angeles, California his work with aircraft radio detection finders led him to the idea of a portable metal detectors. Fisher shared the idea with Albert Einstein who correctly predicted the proliferation of hand held metal detector use.

Inventions

Although the actual inventor of the hand-held metal detector is disputed, the hand-held metal detector was made in 1925 and was first patented by Dr. Gerhard Fisher in 1931. A metal detector had been invented some forty years earlier by Alexander Graham Bell for the sole purpose of locating a lead bullet in President James A. Garfield.

Fisher Research Laboratory

He founded Fisher Research Laboratory to develop and market the hand held metal detectors in 1931.