206 years ago today, on August 25, 1819 (July 5, 1819 in the lunar calendar), British inventor James Watt passed away. 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 near Glasgow, Scotland on January 19, 1736. His father was a skilled shipbuilder and owned his own ships and shipbuilding workshops. His mother came from an aristocratic family and was well educated. When his mother died at the age of 17, Watt worked as an apprentice in an instrument repair shop in London for a year. 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 experiments on steam engines. Although Watt had only one year of mechanical manufacturing training, he had extraordinary invention genius. The improvements he made to the Niokoman machine were so important that people think he invented the first practical steam engine. Watt's first major innovation was the addition of an independent condenser, which was patented in 1769. He also insulated the steam cylinder from the outside world and invented the double acting engine in 1782. Along with some smaller innovations, these inventions have increased the efficiency of steam engines by at least four times. In fact, increased efficiency means 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 partnered to form a company specializing in the manufacture of steam engines. Under Bolton's successful operation, 1165 steam engines were produced by 1824. Both Watt and Bolton made a lot of money. James Watt passed away on August 25, 1819. To commemorate its achievements, physics uses its name "watt" as a commonly used unit of power. Watt's improved steam engine model