He (thomas edidson) obtained patents in such fields as telegraphy, phonography, electric
lighting and photography. In 1882, he designed the first hydroelectric
plant in Appleton, Wisconsin. In 1879, he and Sir Joseph Wilson Swan (in
England) simultaneously invented similar carbon filament incandescent
light bulbs. Edison improved upon Swan's design and by the end of 1880
had produced a 16-watt light bulb that would last for 1500 hours.
