Chester Carlson was an American physicist and inventor, best known for inventing the process of electrophotography, which later became known as xerography. Born on February 8, 1906, in Seattle, Washington, he developed this technology in the 1930s while working on a method to reproduce documents easily and efficiently. In 1947, Carlson's invention led to the founding of the Xerox Corporation, which popularized photocopying. His work revolutionized the way documents were copied and printed, making it a staple in offices and homes worldwide. Carlson's contributions to technology have had a lasting impact on communication and information sharing.