Gerhard Fischar

Although the actual inventor of the hand-held metal detector is disputed, the hand-held metal detector was first patented by Dr. Gerhard Fischer (Fisher) in the late 1920's. Dr. Fischer had immigrated to the United States after studying electronics at the University of Dresden. While working as a Research Engineer in Los Angeles California his work even attracted the interest of Dr. Albert Einstein who correctly predicted the proliferation of hand held metal detector use. Dr. Fischer subsequently founded his own research laboratory Fisher Research Laboratory.

It should be noted that the first metal detector was designed and built by Alexander Graham Bell in 1881 for the sole purpose of locating a lead bullet in President James A. Garfield.