Jack Kilby (photo courtesy Texas Instruments)

This invention -- more commonly known as a computer chip -- came about within months of Kilby joining Texas Instruments, and while most of the staff was on vacation.

Unknown to Kilby, Jean Hoerni and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor were simultaneously working on their own integrated circuit design -- and applied for their own patent in 1959. After years of litigation, the two companies eventually settled their differences and cross-licensed each others' technology.

Today, Kilby and Noyce are generally credited as independent co-inventors of the integrated circuit.

In 1967, Kilby and two other engineers at Texas Instruments (Jerry D. Merryman and James H. Van Tassel) developed the first hand-held electronic calculator.

Kilby left the company in 1970, and taught at Texas A&M University from 1978-1984. He continues to work today as a consultant and inventor.