Wilson Greatbatch’s wiring blunder in 1956 sparked the first modern pacemaker

One miswire created a heartbeat like signal

In 1956, inventor Wilson Greatbatch was tinkering at his workbench when an unexpected wiring mistake produced a steady electrical pulse that mimicked a heartbeat. That accidental signal became the spark for pacemaker design, driving years of engineering before the first implantable devices. The result: far better survival and quality of life for heart patients worldwide.