Final answer:
Galileo Galilei named the refined device "Geometric and Military Compass", which facilitated mathematical and military engineering work. Before Galileo, different versions of the compass were used across cultures, with noted contributions from the Chinese and the Muslim world. Levi ben Gershon may have invented an early prototype of this geometric device, influencing Galileo's later work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name "Geometric and Military Compass" was provided by the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei for a device he refined to make mathematical and geometric calculations. Galileo's enhancements allowed the compass to be used for a variety of purposes including the measurement and layout of angles, which greatly benefited military engineers of his time. The tool represented a significant advancement in the technology available for military and scientific applications during the Renaissance period.
Before Galileo's time, the basic form of the compass, primarily used for navigation, was developed by the Chinese around 1000 CE. The invention of the magnetic compass was crucial for navigation, and different versions were adopted in various cultures. For example, Muslims in the 13th century developed their own variation to locate the direction of Mecca for daily prayers.
Levi ben Gershon, a Jewish scholar also known as Gersonides, is credited with the original invention of a geometric device that might have served as an early prototype for the later refinements made by Galileo. Meanwhile, mapmaking and navigational aids were evolving, with significant contributions from individuals like Eratosthenes, who coined the word "geography", and Gerardus Mercator, who developed the Mercator map projection still in use today.