Akziz Al-Misri

Egyptian inventor of the first Arabic-language typewriter (1954), revolutionizing Arab literary production

Akziz Al-Misri (1905-1989) was an Egyptian polymath who designed the first Arabic typewriter in 1954, overcoming linguistic barriers for Arabic script. A graduate of Cairo's School of Engineering, he spent 17 years developing the Markaz typewriter that accommodated Arabic's cursive script and 28-letter alphabet. His invention enabled mass production of Arabic books, newspapers, and official documents, replacing labor-intensive calligraphy. The typewriter's design influenced later innovations like the Arabic keyboard layout. Al-Misri also pioneered Arabic Braille systems and founded the Arab Inventions Society. His autobiography Typewriting the Desert (1978) details his struggles against colonial-era technological limitations. Modern digital Arabic typography still uses principles from his work, honored at the Museum of Middle Eastern Inventions in Dubai.