In his thesis he derived two-dimensional signal constellations that are similar to those used in the quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) systems commonly used in high speed digital communications today.

[2] Lucky joined Bell Labs in 1961, where his initial assignment was in the data theory department under William R Bennett.

In 1964 he made his best known invention, the adaptive equalizer, and in the years to follow he was promoted numerous times, becoming in 1982 the executive director of the communications sciences research division.

A few years later Bellcore was sold to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and renamed Telcordia Technologies (today iconectiv).

Shortly thereafter, the relays were replaced with transistor switches, then in succeeding years the equalizer was implemented with a special purpose integrated circuit.

[3] He was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to the theory and practical development of data communication systems.

Lucky was the author (with J Salz and EJ Weldon) of a textbook, Principles of Data Communications (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965).

After 1982 he wrote a bi-monthly column, Reflections, in IEEE Spectrum Magazine, which featured his essays on technology and engineering culture.