What was thomas edison's first invention

In 1887, Thomas Edison built an industrial research laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, which was primary research laboratory for the Edison lighting companies.

Edison did spend most of his time in the primary laboratory where he was supervising the development of the lighting technology and power systems. He perfected the phonograph and developed the motion picture camera and the alkaline storage battery.

Over the next 10 years, Thomas became an inventor transitioning to an industrialist and a business manager. The laboratory in West Orange was way too big and difficult for one man to manage and so Edison realized that he was not as successful as he was before in his earlier role.

Thomas Edison saw that much of the future development and the perfection of his inventions were very organized and carried out by a group of mathematicians and scientists.