Ever wondered about the origin of the Ohm (Ω)? This crucial unit of electrical resistance has a fascinating history that connects science and innovation.
Wildman Whitehouse was a medical doctor and a self-taught electrician whose ambition ultimately led to pioneering achievements and significant failures. He put himself in the world of engineers and scientists, but he was neither. You will not find statues of this man. He was not knighted or celebrated. There are no places of honor bearing his name. Within weeks of the cable’s installation, he was exposed as a fraud, a fool, and a con man. Wildman Whitehouse was a nineteenth-century Elizabeth Holmes. His ‘experiments’ sunk the world’s first million-dollar business endeavor, The Atlantic Cable of 1858.
'Electricity or Ethereal Fire Considered' is the first 'MedTech' book written in the New World. Dr. T. Gale's book discusses how to cure various ailments with electricity, ranging from dysentery to madness.
Interdesign was founded by a designer who was laid off from Signetics in 1970. With Hans Camenzind's design of the 555 timer IC, the company became a multimillion-dollar success, creating many impactful technology products. This is Interdesign's story.
Some subjects covered: Hans Camenzind, Signetics, P.R. Mallory, 1970 Recession, the 555 Timer, Interdesign, Monochip, Dolby, Philips.
The BCC-500 was originally built as a powerful time-share system, but through a series of adventures, it became the first computer to connect to the ARPANET wirelessly. The BCC-500 is one of the most important computers you have NEVER heard of.
Some subjects covered: Project GENIE, ALOHA-Net, Butler Lampson, Berkeley Computer Corporation, 1970 recession, ARPANET, Norm Abramson, University of Hawaii, BCC-500.
Have you ever wondered how some parts got their part number? 1N4001? 2N2222? That story started over 100 years ago. This is the Discrete Semiconductor Part Designation Origin Story.
Some subjects covered: DeForest, World War 1, United Wireless Telegraph Company, American Marconi Company, RCA, vacuum tube designators, the US Navy assuming control of foreign-owned transmitters, EIA-370B.
Frank Sprague is credited for making the first practical electric vehicle. Fights with Edison, General Electric, and over elevators. This is Frank J Sprague and the Union Passenger Railway
Some subjects covered: Frank Sprague, London Underground, horse-drawn carts, Warner von Siemens' Electromote, The Crystal Palace Exposition of 1882, Thomas Edison, Sprague Electric Railway and Motor Company, Richmond Union Passenger Railway.
In the summer of 1955, Dr. John McCarthy began his role as an assistant professor of mathematics at Dartmouth College. Historians credit McCarthy with coining the term “Artificial Intelligence” in a proposal submitted to the Rockefeller Foundation. The proposal, organized by McCarthy of Dartmouth College, Marvin Minsky of Harvard University, Nathaniel Rochester of IBM, and Claude E. Shannon of Bell Labs, outlined plans for a two-month, ten-man study on artificial intelligence. The goal was to convene the nation’s leading scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to collaboratively explore the concept of artificial intelligence and the steps required to achieve it. The organizers initially requested $13,500 to fund the study. However, the Rockefeller Foundation approved only $7,500, reducing the study's duration to five weeks instead of the proposed two months. This is the story of that proposal. Programming a Calculator to Form Concepts.
Did you know that Ampere was orphaned as a child when Revolutionaries publicly executed his father, who served as the Justice of the Peace in their town?
America in the early 20th century was a nation divided. Not by war, not by politics, but by light. In the cities, electricity illuminated streets, powered factories, and fueled the Second Industrial Revolution. While in rural farm areas, darkness persisted.
Electricity is taken for granted today, as it should be, but that was not the case a hundred years ago. The story of rural America’s emergence from the darkness is one of ingenuity, determination, and the people's collective will to bring electricity to every corner of the nation. It’s the story of rural electrification, beginning in the dim glow of the 19th century.
This is the origin story of the low-cost microprocessor market, featuring Chuck Peddle—a farm boy determined to escape his roots.
The cultural impact of the 6502 microprocessor is monumental and regarded as one of civilization’s most significant inventions. Unlike most chips that fade into obscurity, the 6502 has stood the test of time, remaining a crucial pillar of microprocessing for fifty years. Its legacy continues to influence technology, making it an essential part of our technological heritage.
The first programmable controller was not considered a computer at the time. Lore has it that, during the design process, any notes that had the word ‘computer’ on them were balled up and thrown away on sight. At the time, ‘computer’ was a four-letter word that took an entire wing of a building to maintain and a monthly air conditioning bill that would make any bean counter cry. This was still years before the release of the Intel 4004 or the MOS 6502.