 Devised in 1978 by Cresson Kearny, the Kearny fallout meter is an application of the gold-leaf electroscope developed in 1787 by Abraham Bennet.Prior to this, the use of the electrometer principle for radiation detection had seen widespread application in the form of the quartz fiber dosimeter.Professional radiation meters, while more accurate and more durable, had a number of potential issues, including cost and lack of availability, which it was hoped the Kearny fallout meter would address.