Elmer Ambrose Sperry
Elmer Ambrose Sperry Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 12, 1860 |
| Died | June 16, 1930 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Cornell University |
| Known for | gyroscopic compasses |
| Spouse | Zula Augusta Goodman (1860–1929) (m. 1887–1929) |
| Children | Helen M. Sperry (1889–Oct 1977) Edward Goodman Sperry (1890–1945) Lawrence Burst Sperry (1892–1923) Elmer Ambrose Sperry, Jr. (1894–1968) |
| Parent(s) | Stephen Decatur Sperry (1825–1889) Mary Burst (1839–1860) |
| Awards | John Fritz Medal (1927) Elliott Cresson Medal (1929) |
| Signature | |
Elmer Ambrose Sperry Sr. (October 12, 1860 – June 16, 1930) was an American inventor and entrepreneur, most famous for construction, two years after Hermann Anschütz-Kaempfe, of the gyrocompass and as founder of the Sperry Gyroscope Company. He was known as the "father of modern navigation technology".
Sperry's compasses and stabilizers were adopted by the United States Navy and used in both world wars. He also worked closely with Japanese companies and the Japanese government and was honored after his death with a volume of reminiscences published in Japan.