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Who Is Lonnie Johnson?
Lonnie Johnson is an accomplished inventor best known for creating the Super Soaker water gun in 1989. Since then, he has leveraged his engineering expertise to focus on developing more efficient rechargeable batteries and sustainable solar energy solutions. Johnson’s early fascination with building toys was fostered by his father, a skilled handyman, and inspired further by the legacy of fellow Black inventor George Washington Carver. The Super Soaker has achieved remarkable success, with hundreds of millions sold worldwide. In recognition of its impact, the toy was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015. Seven years later, Johnson himself was honored with induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Currently, in addition to his work on batteries, Johnson and his team are advancing the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter (JTEC), an innovative engine designed to convert heat from solar energy into electricity more efficiently than existing technologies.
When Was Lonnie Johnson Born?
Lonnie George Johnson was born on October 6, 1949, in Mobile, Alabama. He is the son of a World War II veteran who served as a civilian driver at local Air Force bases, and a mother who worked in a laundry and as a nurse’s aide. During the summers, both of Johnson’s parents supplemented their income by picking cotton on his grandfather’s farm. Motivated by both interest and necessity, Johnson’s father taught his six children how to construct their own toys. A memorable childhood project involved the construction of a pressurized chinaberry shooter using bamboo shoots. By the age of 13, Johnson showcased his inventive spirit by attaching a lawnmower engine to a go-kart he had built from salvaged materials, leading him to race it on the highway until police intervened.
From a young age, Johnson aspired to become a renowned inventor, nurturing a curiosity about how things work and engaging in ambitious experiments—sometimes at the expense of his family’s belongings. His mother recalled instances where his explorations resulted in minor chaos, such as when he dismantled his sister’s doll to examine its mechanisms and, on another occasion, nearly ignited a disaster while attempting to concoct rocket fuel in one of her saucepans, leading to an explosive mishap.
Education
Growing up in Mobile during the era of legal segregation, Johnson attended Williamson High School, an all-Black institution where he faced discouragement regarding his aspirations. Despite his notable intelligence and creativity, he was advised to pursue a career as a technician. However, inspired by the legacy of esteemed African American inventor George Washington Carver, Johnson remained steadfast in his ambition to become an inventor.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Professor” by his peers, Johnson represented his school at the 1968 science fair sponsored by the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. This event occurred just five years after Governor George Wallace’s infamous attempt to block two Black students from enrolling at the university. As the sole Black contestant, Johnson presented a compressed-air-powered robot named “the Linex,” meticulously constructed from discarded materials over the course of a year. To the surprise of university officials, he clinched first prize. Johnson later recalled, “The only thing anybody from the university said to us during the entire competition was ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Y’all drive safe, now.’”
After graduating with Williamson’s last segregated class in 1969, Johnson attended Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) on a scholarship, earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1973 and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering in 1975.
Early Career
Following the completion of his degrees, Johnson joined the U.S. Air Force, becoming a vital contributor to the government’s scientific initiatives. He was assigned to the Strategic Air Command, where he played a significant role in the development of the stealth bomber program. In 1979, Johnson transitioned to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, serving as a systems engineer for both the Galileo mission to Jupiter and the Cassini mission to Saturn before returning to the Air Force in 1982.
Inventions: Super Soaker and Energy Converter
Super Soaker
Despite his demanding professional commitments, Johnson continued to pursue personal inventions during his free time. One of his longstanding projects involved creating an environmentally friendly heat pump that utilized water instead of Freon. In 1982, he completed a prototype and decided to test it in his bathroom. Aiming the nozzle into the bathtub, he pulled the lever, resulting in an exhilarating stream of water. This moment of joy, shared by countless children worldwide, sparked the development of the “Power Drencher,” which he eventually sold to the Larami Corporation in 1989 after years of refining and pitching his design.
Although the product initially struggled in the market, a subsequent rebranding as the “Super Soaker” led to its monumental success, generating over $200 million in sales in 1991 alone and consistently ranking among the world’s top-selling toys. According to The Strong National Museum of Play, Larami and Hasbro Inc., which acquired the company in the mid-1990s, sold around 200 million Super Soakers in over 175 variations, with total sales estimated at approximately $1 billion. In 2013, Johnson received a $73 million settlement from Hasbro after seeking additional royalties based on sales from 2007 to 2012. The Super Soaker was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter
Building on the success of the Super Soaker, Johnson established Johnson Research & Development and secured numerous patents for his inventions. While some, like a ceramic battery and heat-free hair rollers, achieved commercial success, others, such as a musical diaper, did not resonate with the market. Among his most significant innovations was the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter (JTEC), designed to develop an advanced heat engine capable of converting solar energy into electricity with double the efficiency of existing technologies. Johnson believed that a successful JTEC could make solar energy competitive with coal, realizing the potential for efficient, renewable energy.
With initial funding from the Air Force, Johnson continued to advance the JTEC project. In 2008, he received the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics for his work on the invention. He later collaborated with the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in California for further development. In October 2017, Johnson indicated that the project had been on hold while he explored new battery technologies. However, by November 2021, JTEC Energy Inc. announced the successful development of two working models of the converter, focusing on harnessing waste heat below 200 degrees Celsius. “This is a great milestone for our team. It’s gratifying to see the vision I have had for the last 20 years become a reality,” Johnson remarked.
If he perfects the JTEC, Johnson has the potential to become a pivotal figure in the green technology revolution. Paul Werbos of the National Science Foundation aptly summarized the significance of Johnson’s contributions: “It’s like discovering a new continent. You don’t know what’s there, but you sure want to explore it to find out… it has a darn good chance of being the best thing on Earth.”
Johnson Battery Technologies Inc.
In addition to his contributions at JTEC, Johnson was instrumental in establishing Johnson Battery Technologies Inc., a company dedicated to developing custom battery solutions for both government and private sectors. The organization is primarily focused on pioneering a new generation of rechargeable batteries, designed to deliver enhanced energy output while maintaining a compact form factor.
Honors and Personal Life
Beyond his innovative scientific achievements and inventions, Johnson holds the position of board chairman at the Georgia Alliance for Children and is an active member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, an organization committed to mentoring high school and college students. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field of engineering, he was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011.
On May 5, 2022, Johnson received the prestigious honor of induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame during a ceremony held in Washington, D.C. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “The honor is further motivation to keep experimenting and exploring.”
Additionally, according to his website, Johnson has served as a trustee for the Boys & Girls Club of America and as a board member of the Chasing the Dream Foundation, founded by baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Residing in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta, Johnson lives with his wife, Linda Moore, and they have four children, whose names have not been publicly disclosed.