David Gordon Wilson
Encyclopedia
David Gordon Wilson is emeritus professor of engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
Born in Warwickshire
, England
, Wilson came to the U.S.
on a post-doctoral fellowship in 1955. He returned to Britain in 1957 to work in the gas-turbine industry. He taught engineering in Nigeria from 1958 - 60. He started a branch of a US company in London and in 1961 was moved to the US. In 1966 he joined the MIT faculty and taught engineering design and pursued a long-standing interest into human-powered transport, coauthoring Bicycling Science. He is credited, along with Chester Kyle, with starting the modern recumbent bicycle
movement in the USA.
One of the most famous recumbent bicycle
s, the Avatar 2000
was designed by Wilson and Richard Forrestall in 1980. Tim Gartside (Australia) rode it as the Avatar Bluebell (UK) to a world record (51.9 mile/h) in the US in 1982.
Wilson is the co-founder of Wilson Turbo Power Inc., which was founded in 2001 to commercialize two breakthrough energy technologies developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
Wilson is the inventor of the 'Wilson Turbogenerator' which is currently being developed. An electrical efficiency of greater than 50% is claimed for his design. A prototype 300 kW microturbine was under development in 2008 when work was terminated and Wilson was removed from the board and, later, from his company.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT).
Born in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wilson came to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on a post-doctoral fellowship in 1955. He returned to Britain in 1957 to work in the gas-turbine industry. He taught engineering in Nigeria from 1958 - 60. He started a branch of a US company in London and in 1961 was moved to the US. In 1966 he joined the MIT faculty and taught engineering design and pursued a long-standing interest into human-powered transport, coauthoring Bicycling Science. He is credited, along with Chester Kyle, with starting the modern recumbent bicycle
Recumbent bicycle
A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks...
movement in the USA.
One of the most famous recumbent bicycle
Recumbent bicycle
A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks...
s, the Avatar 2000
Avatar 2000
The Avatar 2000 was an early and influential long-wheelbase recumbent bicycle designed by David Gordon Wilson.It was featured in the film Brainstorm, ridden by Christopher Walken, as well as in Richard Ballantine's Richard's Bicycle Book. Ballantine's own Avatar 2000 held the non-UCI world bicycle...
was designed by Wilson and Richard Forrestall in 1980. Tim Gartside (Australia) rode it as the Avatar Bluebell (UK) to a world record (51.9 mile/h) in the US in 1982.
Wilson is the co-founder of Wilson Turbo Power Inc., which was founded in 2001 to commercialize two breakthrough energy technologies developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT).
Wilson is the inventor of the 'Wilson Turbogenerator' which is currently being developed. An electrical efficiency of greater than 50% is claimed for his design. A prototype 300 kW microturbine was under development in 2008 when work was terminated and Wilson was removed from the board and, later, from his company.