McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month in March in recognition of it as an annual celebration of achievements by women in spotlighting their critical role in U.S. history. In this regard, we are highlighting noteworthy women inventors whose creations changed the world.
Marie Van Brittan Brown was a nurse and inventor who invented the home security system. Concerned by the crime rate in her New York City neighborhood given her late night work hours, Brown realized that she would feel safer if she could see who was at her door — without the need to open it. She created a system of four peep holes and a movable camera that connected wirelessly to a monitor in her home. A two-way microphone allowed conversation with someone outside along with buttons that could sound an alarm or remotely unlock the door. She received an award from the National Science Committee for her idea.