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Lonnie Johnson: The Father of the Super Soaker

posted by CoolHand on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:09AM   Printer-friendly
from the wet-em-down dept.

wirelessduck writes:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-37062579

Lonnie Johnson was brought up in Mobile, Alabama in the 1960s, when black children were not expected to go far, but such was his talent for engineering that he worked for Nasa, and helped test the first stealth bomber. But as he explains here, the invention that made his fortune was a water pistol - the extremely powerful Super Soaker.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @02:11AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @02:11AM (#393832)

    In the fine article/interview he goes on to say what he did with millions of dollars from Super Soaker royalties -- started a research corporation that employes 30 people. In the works are a battery with solid electrolyte, higher energy density than current Li-based batteries. And a few other very clever bits of engineering.

    Worth reading through the whole BBC story, this is one clever inventor. And he must be OK at business too--not many inventors are actually able to collect royalties from licensing their patents.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @04:15AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @04:15AM (#393859)

    That's right, it's a business world out there! If you ain't good at business then you deserve to die in the gutter! Die and take your good ideas with you! Because nobody wants ideas! Business only cares about the money!