Without his genius for making small, black, boxes that were more or less affordable we'd never have had the ZX Spectrum - and the computer game boom of the 1980s. Sir Clive may not have imagined he would ignite the imaginations of countless bedroom coders, but by design or accident his beautiful device brought joy to millions.
Here's a brief tribute to the great man - along with ten things you might not have known about him.
Once placed on the wearer's left foot, the shoe would shoot an electric current into its owners leg, causing them to jerk and gyrate spasmodically.
The sound-activated electric pulses would fire in time to music, making the wearer appear as if he were dancin' - thus impressing any nearby blonde ladies, providing they didn't notice his involuntary grimacing.