In the history of the Russian Empire, there were many self-taught individuals, including inventors of tractors, torpedo devices, flying machines, and industrial machines. A significant contribution to the development of Russian science was made by Alexander Ilyich Shpakovsky. Little is known about his childhood: he was born on August 20, 1823, in Smolensk, and later his family moved to St. Petersburg, where he entered gymnasium. From a young age, Shpakovsky was fascinated by physics. At the Pavlov Cadet Corps, he became interested in electric lighting, which was little studied at the time. Alexander Ilyich sought to extend the lifespan of lamps and increase their brightness. In 1850, he presented an automatic regulator for the distance between the electrodes of an arc lamp, which allowed for their industrial production.

Before the coronation of Alexander II, a competition was announced for the lighting of Red Square in Moscow, and Shpakovsky decided to participate, winning the contest. However, there were problems: out of 15 lamps, only 11 lit up. Nevertheless, for the residents of Moscow, it was an impressive sight, and according to contemporaries, the square was illuminated as if it were daytime.

In the 1860s, Alexander Ilyich was offered a position in the defense ministry. In his workshop, he created a unique lantern for underwater work. Initially, they were supplied to the Russian Navy, but soon the English became interested in these lamps and purchased a large batch, leading to their use in the West as well.

Shpakovsky's last project was working on a 'rocket assembly' for torpedoes. Unfortunately, during the development, a torpedo exploded in the workshop, and the inventor suffered a serious concussion, causing bleeding in the area of the cerebellum. Alexander Shpakovsky passed away on June 25, 1881.