Flash of Genius

In the bustling heart of post‑war Detroit, where the roar of assembly lines defines the city’s pulse, Robert Kearns is a quietly brilliant engineering professor whose world is suddenly colored by a personal tragedy. The loss of sight in one eye makes every raindrop a reminder of a problem that has long been dismissed as ordinary, and his instinctive curiosity pushes him toward a simple yet revolutionary solution—one that mirrors the natural rhythm of a blinking eye.

Supported by his devoted wife, Phyllis, and the enthusiastic car‑dealer friend Gil Previck, Robert transforms his modest basement into a makeshift laboratory, where the hum of electronics mingles with the hopeful clatter of prototype parts. The atmosphere is one of gritty optimism, a blend of home‑grown ingenuity set against the polished, impersonal world of America’s automotive giants. As he refines his design, the promise of changing an everyday inconvenience into a moment of elegance begins to feel both personal and universal.

Yet the very industry that fuels the city’s prosperity also looms as an opaque monolith, its corporate corridors echoing with negotiations, patents, and quiet appropriations. When the unmistakable impression that his invention has been silently adopted surfaces, Robert is thrust into a relentless quest for acknowledgment. The tone shifts from inventive wonder to determined resolve, painting a portrait of an ordinary man confronting powerful forces with nothing but his conviction, his family’s quiet support, and an unshakable belief that true ingenuity deserves its rightful place.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 09:07