Oberlin Smith

Oberlin Smith (March 22, 1840 – July 19, 1926) was an American engineer who published one of the earliest works dealing with magnetic recording in 1888.

On September 8, 1888, Smith published a short note entitled "Some Possible Forms of the Phonograph" in the British journal Electrical World, where he suggested (probably for the first time) the use of permanent magnetic impressions for the recording of sound.

[2] Smith suggested using cotton or silk thread, into which steel dust or short clippings of fine wire could be suspended.

Smith also discussed the possibility of using a hard metal wire or chain, but preferred the thread.

Many of Smith's ideas were independently reproduced by Valdemar Poulsen when he developed the first true magnetic recorder.