Alessandro Volta

Volta improved the electrometer, an instrument used to measure electric potential or charge. His improvements made it more sensitive and reliable.

Further development of electrophorus that could more easily generate static charge.

Volta invented 'Volta's Pistol', which was used to demonstrate explosive properties of inflammable gases. This device used an electric spark to ignite a mixture of air and methane.

Before his work on the voltaic pile, Volta developed the condenser, a device for accumulating and storing electric charge. This paved the way for his later battery invention.