Welcome to the world of Lonnie Johnson, a prolific inventor whose ingenuity has left an indelible mark on the realms of science, engineering, and innovation. Born on October 6, 1949, in Mobile, Alabama, Lonnie G. Johnson is renowned for his groundbreaking contributions, notably his invention of the Super Soaker water gun, a staple of childhood fun worldwide. However, Johnson’s expertise extends far beyond water guns; his career spans decades and encompasses a wide array of technological advancements.
From his early passion for tinkering with gadgets to his later pursuits in aerospace engineering, Lonnie Johnson’s journey epitomizes the spirit of curiosity and relentless pursuit of knowledge. After earning his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University, Johnson embarked on a career that saw him working with esteemed organizations such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His work in the field of spacecraft power systems laid the groundwork for numerous innovations, earning him several patents and accolades throughout his career. Today, Lonnie Johnson stands as a testament to the power of creativity and determination in shaping the world around us.
When I think back on my childhood and the things that happened to me, there were certain periods of time where I felt like I was being saved for something. I feel like I have a gift, and it would be a sin to waste it. Lonnie Johnson
I have never really understood why in this country so many people look down on black people. Lonnie Johnson
When I was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory back in the early ’80s is when I first got the idea. The Super Soaker was based on some engineering principles that I applied. I was actually working on another invention which was a heat pump that would use water as a working fluid instead of Freon. Lonnie Johnson
I think America’s strength is in innovation. Lonnie Johnson
Nobody’s going to step in and dump a lot of money and make it easy. Unless you have a lot of money, you have to pay your dues and make a personal sacrifice. Lonnie Johnson
I decided I could develop a toy and get some revenue from that and then use that revenue to really become an inventor and work on some of the more challenging projects I had in mind. Lonnie Johnson
You sometimes have a very innovative company, and if they come up with one idea, they can come up with many more – if they’re successful. If they can’t feed themselves, you lose that creativity. Lonnie Johnson
I would say that engineering has been a very positive experience overall, but usually coming into the situation it would be one of being underestimated. People would actually have low expectations. But I would take advantage of it quite honestly, because I would take my time to underestimate the situation. Lonnie Johnson
I’ve invented a new type of engine that converts heat directly into electricity with no moving mechanical parts. It’s called the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter, the JTEC. Lonnie Johnson
I’ve always liked to tinker with things. Lonnie Johnson
It was because of the success of the Super Soaker, I was able to at least get an audience with people to present some of my other ideas. Lonnie Johnson
In 1968 when I was in high school I built a four-foot-tall remote control robot with pneumatic cylinders that operated his hands. My robot won first place at a science competition at the University of Alabama where my high school was the only African-American school represented. That was a huge moral victory. Lonnie Johnson
That’s one of the advantages of being an inventor and tinkerer – I have everything I need to make what I need. Lonnie Johnson
I don’t think there’s any project that I started that I ever stopped working on. Lonnie Johnson
I was working on a heat pump that used water as a working fluid, and I made some jet pumps for it. I accidentally shot a stream of water across a bathroom where I was doing the experiment and thought to myself, ‘this would make a great gun.’ Lonnie Johnson
I can remember times when we’d be having parties, and people would be dancing and everything and I would be sitting there in the middle doing calculus, just doing my little thing. Lonnie Johnson
More and more, other countries are able to manufacture things cheaper, beating us in the marketplace in a lot of ways. So we need to do whatever we can to make sure America’s ability to protect its ingenuity is as strong as it can be. Lonnie Johnson
I wound up getting offered a job at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I invented a power supply mechanism for the Galileo space craft which was in orbit around Jupiter until 2003. Lonnie Johnson
I received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, then graduated with a masters in nuclear engineering. Lonnie Johnson
Large companies can afford to file patents on every idea they have. Small companies, we have to weigh our options, do the research. We have to decide where to place our bets. We can’t just cover everything we do. Lonnie Johnson
I consider myself a general practitioner. I do electronic things. I do toys and water things, mechanical stuff. I’m very, very flexible. Lonnie Johnson
I didn’t want to grow old and find that I didn’t do what I could have done, that I didn’t put my best foot forward. I didn’t want to have any regrets. Lonnie Johnson
In 1975, I was called to active duty in the Air Force, studying U.S. space launches that used nuclear power. I felt it was a big deal to be involved in such an important project – we were providing technical support for launch recommendations that ultimately went to the president. Lonnie Johnson
Being an independent inventor is tough. You develop a product, patent it, then you’re looking for someone who will see the benefit from this technology. You assume all the investment and all the risk. It can be a challenge. Lonnie Johnson
Sitting still, a person produces about 100 watts of heat. What if you could use that to charge your cell phone? Lonnie Johnson
I got my first patent in 1979 before I left the Air Force. I called it the Digital Distance Measuring Instrument. It used ones and zeros and dots and dashes and a magnifying lens to read binary-encoded information from a scale that was photographically reduced. It used the same kind of technology that’s used in CDs and DVDs. Lonnie Johnson
I thought to myself, jeez, it would be really nice to have a high power water gun. It felt really, really good holding a powerful stream in my hand. Lonnie Johnson
There was a time in my life when I was independently wealthy. Lonnie Johnson
Lady Luck is indifferent. She smiles sometimes, and she frowns sometimes. Lonnie Johnson
The invention that most people know me for is the Super Soaker water gun. I knew the gun worked well, and I knew it would be successful. I did not realize how successful it would be. Lonnie Johnson
Most of my career as an engineer, I was put in environments where I was the only person of color in the room. Lonnie Johnson
After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. I figured if I had to go into the military, I’d rather go in as an officer. Lonnie Johnson
I have a collection of SuperSoakers. I have managed to keep most of them. Lonnie Johnson
As an inventor, it’s a rite of passage to have an engine. I’d like to have my own engine someday. Lonnie Johnson
There are maybe three inventions I have that I rank as my top inventions that I’m most proud of. The robot I built in high school, the memory-protected circuitry for the Galileo and the Super Soaker. Lonnie Johnson
Peer review is fine, as long as you’re making incremental improvements to a technology. Lonnie Johnson
I am a nuclear engineer. I’m working on advanced energy technology. I have a new type of the engine that converts heat into electricity, and I’ve also developed a new type of battery that’s all ceramic, without liquid electrolyte. Lonnie Johnson
Especially when you have a lot of technology you’re developing as a small company, trying to protect that technology is a real problem. Lonnie Johnson
Persevere. That’s what I always say to people. There’s no easy route. Lonnie Johnson
I love playing around with ideas and turning them into something useful or fun. Lonnie Johnson