Influenced by his family, Bell was very interested in languages when he was a child. He likes to keep small animals such as sparrows and mice. He thinks the sounds of animals are beautiful. When he was in primary school, his books often contained insects, mice and the like besides textbooks. Once, the teacher was telling a story about the Bible. Suddenly, the mouse in his schoolbag jumped out, and the students avoided calling, which made the classroom a mess. The teacher was furious and felt that such students could not teach.
Soon, Bell's father sent Bell to his grandfather in London. Although the kind old man loves his grandson very much, he is very strict with his grandson. Grandpa knows the learning psychology of teenagers like the back of his hand. Instead of rote learning, he forced Bell to learn knowledge from books, but started with cultivating Bell's interest in learning. Gradually, Bell developed a strong thirst for knowledge, improved his academic performance and became an excellent student. Bell later recalled: "My grandfather made me realize that every student should know ordinary courses, but I didn't. This is a shame. He aroused my desire to study hard. "
A year later, Bell returned to his hometown Edinburgh. There is a mill near his home. Bell thinks this old-fashioned water mill is too laborious and needs to be improved. So he consulted all kinds of books and designed a sketch of an improved water mill. Although the picture is not standardized, the idea is ingenious. After processing by craftsmen, the water mill has become very flexible and much more labor-saving than before. Since then, he has become a well-known "little inventor".
Bell saw the significance of invention and creation from here. Every invention will benefit a large number of people and is a cornerstone of human progress.
From 65438 to 0869, Bell, 22, was employed by Boston University and became a professor of phonetics in this university. Besides teaching, Bell also studies teaching equipment.
Once, Bell found an interesting phenomenon when he was doing the experiment of "visual language" used by the deaf-mute: when the current was cut off, the spiral coil would make noise, just like the "beep" sound made by the telegraph when it sent Morse code.
"Electricity can make sounds!" Bell, who is quick-thinking, immediately thought: "If the intensity of current can be changed to simulate the change of sound waves when people speak, then current can not only transmit signals like telegrams, but also transmit sounds made by people. In other words, humans can use electricity to transmit sound. "
The more bell thought about it, the more excited he became. He thought, "This must be a valuable idea." So he told his friends in the field of electrical engineering, hoping to get useful advice from them. However, when these electrical experts heard this strange idea, some dismissed it, some laughed it off, and one even said rudely, "As long as you read more books about electrical common sense, you won't have this fantasy."
Bell was rejected, but he was not depressed. He decided to ask Mr. Henry, the master of electromagnetism.
After listening to Bell's account, Henry smiled and said, "That's a good idea! I think you will succeed! "
"Dear sir, I study phonetics, but I don't know electromagnetism." Bell said timidly, "I'm afraid it's hard to come true."
"Then you can learn." Henry said flatly.
With Henry's affirmation and encouragement, Bell felt clearer and firmer. He secretly made up his mind: "I must invent the telephone."
Since then, Bell has plunged into the library, and started reading "Common Sense of Electricity" to master the latest electromagnetic research trends.
With a solid knowledge of electromagnetic theory, Bell began to prepare for the experiment. He invited 18-year-old electrical technician Watson as an experimental assistant.
Then, Bell and Watson started the experiment. They were locked in the laboratory all day, repeatedly designing schemes and processing, but failed again and again. "I think you will succeed", Henry's words have been echoing in Bell's ears, inspiring Bell to devote himself to R&D with full enthusiasm.
Time flies, two spring and autumn years have passed.
1875 In May, Bell and Watson developed two rough prototypes. These two prototypes are covered with a film at the bottom of a cylinder, and a carbon rod is vertically connected to the center of the film and inserted into sulfuric acid solution. In this way, when people talk to it, the film vibrates, the contact resistance between carbon rod and sulfuric acid changes, and the current also changes; When receiving, due to the change of current, changing sound waves are generated. Therefore, sound transmission is realized.
But after verification, the two prototypes still can't talk. The experiment failed again.
After repeated research and inspection, Bell confirmed that there were no problems in the design and manufacture of the prototype. "But why did it fail?" Bell thought hard.
One night, Bell stood at the window, frowning deeply in thought. Suddenly, there was melodious guitar sound in the distance. That voice is crisp and deep, wonderful!
"By the way, Watson, we should make a speaker to improve the sensitivity of the sound." Bell was inspired by the sound of the guitar.
So, the two immediately designed a production plan. There were no materials at that time, so they removed the bed board. After several hours of fighting, the speaker finally succeeded.
1on June 2, 875, they tested the prototype with a sound box. Bell is in the lab and Watson is at the other end of several rooms. While adjusting the machine, Bell shouted into the microphone.
Suddenly, while operating, Bell accidentally spilled sulfuric acid on his leg. He couldn't help shouting: "Mr. Watson, come quickly, I need you!" " "
"I heard it, I heard it." Watson rushed from the other end happily. He forgot to look at where Bell was injured and hugged him tightly. Bell also forgot the pain at this time, and tears filled his eyes with excitement.
That night, Bell couldn't sleep. He got up at midnight and wrote a letter to his mother. In the letter, he wrote:
"Today is a big day for me. Our ideal has finally come true! In the future, telephones will enter homes like tap water and gas. People can talk at home without going out. "
However, people are indifferent to the birth of this new thing, thinking that it can only be used to play games and has no practical value.
On the one hand, Bell perfected the prototype, on the other hand, he used every opportunity to publicize the use value of the telephone.
Two years later, at 1878, Bell conducted the first long-distance telephone test between Boston and new york (300 kilometers apart), and the result was also successful. Since then, telephones have rapidly spread in major cities in North America.