James Watt (January 19, 1736-August 25, 1819), Scottish inventor James Watt, often referred to as the inventor of the steam engine, was a key figure in the Industrial Revolution. He is one of the most influential figures in history.

Watt was born on January 19, 1736 near Glasgow, Scotland. His father was a skilled shipbuilder who owned his own ships and shipbuilding workshops. His mother was born into an aristocratic family and received a good education. When his mother died at the age of 17, Watt went to an instrument repair shop in London for a year as an apprentice. In 1757, he opened a small repair shop at the University of Glasgow. One of the professors, physicist and chemist Joseph Black, became Watt's friend and mentor. Under the guidance of his friend Professor Robinson, Watt began experimenting with the steam engine. Although Watt had only one year of mechanical training, he had an extraordinary inventive genius. His improvements to the Niukomen machine are so important that he is credited with inventing the first practical steam engine. Watt's first major innovation was the addition of a separate condensing chamber, which he patented in 1769. He also insulated the steam cylinder from the outside world, and invented the double-action engine in 1782. Together with some smaller innovations, these inventions increased the efficiency of the steam engine by at least four times. In fact, the increase in efficiency meant the difference between a flashy device and a machine of great industrial value.

In 1781, Watt also invented a set of gears that transformed the reciprocating motion of the steam engine into rotary motion. This set of gears increases the use of steam engines. Watt also invented a centrifugal governor (1788), a pressure gauge (1790), a counter, a power indicator, a throttle valve and many other instruments that automatically adjusted the operating speed of a steam engine.

In 1794, Watt and Bolton formed a company specializing in the manufacture of steam engines. Under Bolton's successful operation, 1,165 steam engines were produced by 1824. Watt and Bolton both made a lot of money.

James Watt passed away on August 25, 1819. To commemorate his achievements, physics uses its name "watt" as a commonly used unit of power.

Watt's modified steam engine model