The inventions of the outstanding Russian scientist Boris Semyonovich Yakobi are still in use today. For example, the electric motor with a rotating working shaft is used in locomotives, car starters, and tractors. In 1838, while working on a new project, Yakobi accidentally made a brilliant discovery, galvanoplasty, which laid the foundation for a new field in science: electrochemistry. Copper horses made using the galvanoplasty method still adorn the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Boris Semyonovich also worked in the military industry. At the request of the Naval Ministry, he developed anti-ship mines for the domestic Navy and was one of the initiators of the creation of naval sapper brigades.

However, the main achievement of his life was the invention of the letter-printing telegraph. Before this, all messages were received in code and had to be deciphered. Thanks to Yakobi, messages began to be printed directly with letters and numbers, which significantly accelerated the transmission of information and was a major breakthrough in science at that time. The Russian government, after studying Boris Semyonovich's project, decided to classify the invention and prohibited him from discussing it with journalists. However, information about the invention still leaked abroad.

Once, while in Berlin, Yakobi carelessly left the blueprints of the new telegraph in his hotel room. At that time, he was visited by an old acquaintance, Werner von Siemens. They talked about everyday matters, and Siemens left. A few months later, Boris Semyonovich learned with horror that the German engineer had patented a device identical to his invention. It turned out that Siemens had peeked at the blueprints during his visit. Letter-printing devices began to be produced in series, and Siemens was talked about as a talented engineer throughout Europe. Ironically, Russia later began to purchase telegraphs from Siemens' company, which were invented in its own territory.