Thomas Edison excelled at practical inventions. His first patented invention was a vote recorder in 1868. In 1876 Edison moved to Menlo Park, the world's first research complex devoted to the creation and development of new inventions. The most important building there was this two-story wooden laboratory. The second floor of this lab had tables for experiments. It was here that Edison put together the first practical electrical light bulb, the incandescent light bulb which remained aglow for 45 hours without overheating.