Boris S. Jacobi

Abstract

185 years ago, in 1834 the first really working and sufficiently powerful electric motor was assembled by the young scientist, Moritz Herman von Jacobi in Königsberg (now Russian city of Kaliningrad). The article is dedicated to the life and scientific achievements of the scientist who became known under the name of Boris Jacobi after he moved to Russia and took the Russian first name. His merits, in particular, include development of a method of electroplating, that laid foundation for the entire field of applied electrochemistry. It’s worth noting that the scientist revealed the results of the study in publicly available, or, in modern terms, open access publication. Jacobi worked in different fields. He invented a series of devices to measure electric resistance , called by him voltagometer (rheochord, or slide-wire). His research activities were also successful in the field of telegraphy, he invented synchronously acting telegraph device with direct (without further decoding) indication of the letters and numbers at the receiver and first ev er letter-printing telegraph device, he administered the project of construction of first cable lines in St. Petersburg and between St. Petersburg and Tsarskoe selo (Emperors’ residence). Jacobi developed galvanic batteries, anti-ship mines of new type, initiated creation of galvanic teams within pioneer units of the Russian army. Boris Jacobi initiated and managed unitage, establishment of metric system, and of weight and measure standards in Russia. Thanks to numerous scientific achievements Jacobi received well-deserved recognition of his contemporaries.