In 1966, Fergason accepted the position of associate director of the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University. His primary focus was the application of liquid crystals to be used in thermal mapping as a screening tool for breast cancer. During his research, he observed that liquid crystals are naturally twisted together. After some experimentation, he discovered that they could be untwisted by applying an electrical voltage. This phenomenon was termed by Fergason as the "twisted nematic field effect" of liquid crystals. He found that varying the degree of twisting by changing the applied voltage controlled the amount of light that traveled through liquid crystals. The process could be accomplished with very little energy, allowing the liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to maintain sharp visual contrast. Previous attempts to produce LCDs had required high power levels that quicklydegraded the crystals and image.

After publishing a paper in 1970 that outlined several ways to manufacture nematic liquid crystal displays, Fergason left Kent State and formed his own company, the International Liquid Crystal Company (ILIXCO), in Menlo Park, California. He continued his research on liquid crystals and proceeded to commercialize LCDs. Numerous companies involved in manufacturing devices that required low-voltage applications, particularly photocopiers, watches, calculators, and medical devices, became interested in seeking Fergason for his inventive genius and technological expertise. At the time, products that used digital displays lost their battery life quickly, making them undesirable to most consumers.

In 1971, Fergason demonstrated the application of his patented twisted nematic liquid crystal cell (TN-LCD). Bulova Watch Company was the first to purchase his TN watch display cell. By 1977, consumers preferred LCDs over light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in digital watches. In the meantime, Fergason continued to invent myriad LCD applications, including surface-mode LCDs for use in welding helmets and polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) for use in privacy windows. He formed othercompanies to develop his inventions, including the AmericanLiquid Crystal Company and Optical Shields, Ltd.

During the 1980's and 1990's, he led self-funded research and technology programs that focused on the challenges associated with liquid crystal applications. In1986, he was presented the Francis Rice Darne Memorial Award for outstanding technical achievements and contributions to LCDs. In 1989, Fergason was recognized with a Distinguished Inventor Award by the Intellectual Property Owners Association for his invention of liquid crystal nonlinear eye protection with sub-nanosecond response. The following year, he received the Quiet Hero Award from Application Design.

In 2001, Fergason founded Fergason Patent Properties (FPP) to license his inventions on a nonexclusive basis for expanding new markets for electronic displays. Under Fergason's direction, the company continues to develop new LCD-based technologies that include System Synchronized Brightness Control (SSBC), which improves the contrast and dynamic range of LCD televisions and computer monitors; enhanced stereo three-dimensional desktop monitors, which improve brightness, sharpness, and image definition at levels never previously achieved; and head-mounted projectors, which enable the use of in-service vehicles and systems to be used in simulation and training missions. Fergason also continues his state-of-the-art research on miniature and passive LCDs and liquid crystal safety devices. During his career as an inventor, he has successfully defended his patents in court twice and diplomatically dealt with numerous claims that some of his ideas and inventions were simple and obvious. He continues to look at every day as an adventure for discovering or inventing something new and useful.

Fergason is one of the leading American independent inventors and is recognized as the pioneer researcher of liquid crystals. His motto has always been to work hard and persist until success is achieved. If a mistake is made, Fergason believes in admitting it, correcting it as much as possible, and moving on to his next idea. His insights and inventions have been critical in moving liquid crystal research forward. His discovery of the twisted nematic field effect in liquid crystals and his numerous inventions derived there from have been instrumental in the development of the flat-panel LCD industry. His inventions and applications of LCDs include PDLCs for use in privacy windows that can change from clear to opaque by flipping a switch; surface-mode LCDs for use in three-dimensional video viewing systems and welding helmets; head-mounted displays for use in surgical imaging and aircraft flight training; and devices to protect eyes from the harmful effects of invisible infrared radiation and laser weapons. Through the pioneering efforts of Fergason, LCD technology has evolved into a multibillion-dollar industry that provides hundreds of millions of products to consumers. In addition to his profound influence on the electronics industry, Fergason is a strong advocate of the interests of independent inventors. His famous 1970 paper that defined the making of nematic LCDs served as a launching pad for the evolvement of LCD technology and has been cited by hundreds of inventors. In 2000, he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce as a member of the first Patent Public Advisory Committee. He has provided sound advice and counsel on policy and operational issues for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and developed a program that has improved patentquality.

From a corporate researcher, to a university lab director and researcher, to an independent inventor, Fergason has sustained a career of invention and innovation that has led to several key breakthroughs. Credited with over 150 U.S. patents and over 50 foreign patents in over forty countries, Fergason was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, in 1998, the same year that he was awarded the Ron Brown Technology Award by the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2001, he was presented with an honorary doctorate in science by the University of Missouri. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Lemelson-MIT Prize of $500,000 for his achievements in the field of liquid crystals. It is the largest cash prize given in the United States for inventions. In May, 2007, he was the recipient of the David Richardson Medal from the Optical Society of America for his contributionsto optics and photonics.

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