Computer Technology 1924-1938
Amanda Faxon
Table of Contents
1924- CATV
1926- Semiconductor Transistor
1927- TV Signal
1928- Galvin Manufacturing Corporation
1930- Motorola
1932- ROM-type Storage
1933- Establishment of Canon
1935- Polygraph Machine
1936- Printed Circuit Board
1937- First Electronic Computer
1938- Xerox Machine
Bibliography
1924- CATV
Community Access Television (CATV) is more commonly known today as Cable TV. It allows television signals to reach houses by transmitting radio frequency signals through a coaxial cable such as the one in the following picture. In 1924, cable broadcasting began in European countries. Today, CATV offers HD channels.
1926- Semiconductor Transistor
On December 23, 1926 John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley invented the transistor, a device used to control the amount of current that flows through a circuit by using semiconductors. Their studies took place at Bell laboratories in New Jersey, and their findings would later be used in microchips and computers.
1927- TV Signal
Philo Farnsworth was an American inventor and television pioneer; he invented the first electronic television and was the first person to successfully transmit a TV signal on September 27, 1927. He later was named in TIME Magazine's "The TIME 100: The Most Important People of the Country".
1928- Galvin Manufacturing Corporation
On September 26, 1928 work began at the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. They are credited with creating the first commercially successful car radios.
1930- Motorola
Two years after the founding of the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, the name "Motorola" was adopted and as been used as a trademark since the 1930s. Their products began selling successfully as car accessories; Motorola was the first company to link the idea of motion and radio.
1932- Introduction of ROM-type Storage
ROM, or Read-only memory, was introduced in 1932 and refers to a class of medium storage used primarily in computers, but can be found in other electronic devices. A major disadvantage is its slow speed and difficulty to modify data. As a result, ROM is mainly used to distribute firmware, software that is relative to specific hardware that does not require frequent updates.
1933- Establishment of Canon
Canon, established in 1933, is among the largest manufacturers of printers, floppy drives, and video equipment. Its most expensive camera, the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, sells for about $7,000.
1935- Polygraph Machine
Also known as the 'lie detector', the lie detector was used for the first time in 1935 by its co-inventor Leonarde Keeler in a court case to bring an accused criminal to justice. It measures increases in heart and blood pressure, dry mouth, and perspiration. These are common signs of anxiety and generally anxiety signifies that someone is not telling the truth.
1936- Invention of the Printed Circuit Board
Also known as PCB, the Printed Circuit Board was invented in 1936 by Paul Eisler while working on the radio. It is a board made of plastic or fiberglass that is designed to hold electronic circuits and switches; for example, the motherboard found in today's computers is a PCB.
1937- First Electronic Computer
Also known as the ABC, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer was considered to be the first electronic digital computer and was the first machine to use vacuum tubes, tubes with all gas removed to create a vacuum to allow electrons to flow as a switch or amplifier. The computer was developed in 1937 by students from Iowa State University.
1938- Xerox Machine
The Xerox Machine was the first version of the present day photocopier. It was the first device to produce an electrophotographic image through the use of electrostatic energy. Its inventor, Chester Carlson, places sulfur on a zinc plate and charged it with static electricity to produce an image. The process became known as 'xerography', a term derived from the Greek meaning 'dry writing'.
Bibliography
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