Inventor of The Micro-controller Dies at 68

Posted by khalling 10 years, 5 months ago to Technology
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The contribution of this inventor was one of the major steps in creating the electronics and computer industry today. This invention permeates almost every aspect of our lives for the better. This is an example of an inventor, who by the way, did not become wealthy, who completely revolutionized our economy. This type of disruptive invention is on the scale of the telephone, the sewing machine, the steam engine, etc.
The fact he was not well-known is a statement about our current culture.
My husband and I were grateful to know him and work with him.

All Comments

  • Posted by DaveM49 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I find it sad that the profession of Inventor seems, by and large, to be becoming a thing of the past, though it may be because those who practice it do so quietly for reasons of their own. For one who does not mind a bit of self-promotion, see Woody Norris (www.woodynorris.com I think). He's a bit of a real-life John Galt, though he has not vanished and is not working as a "third assistant bookkeeper".
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  • Posted by $ MikeMarotta 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I did not know that. Thanks!

    I am just a humble technical writer. Sure, I can write code, but I depend on my subject matter experts.

    The content from that link did indeed go into my Research Folder.
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Intel has had an ongoing propaganda campaign to diminish Gary Boone's accomplishment.
    There is a difference between the microprocessor and micro controller. (I know you know that but other Gulch readers may not). The difference between a micro controller vs micro processor is it has embedded memory. For your research folder. ;)
    http://www.datamath.org/Story/Intel.htm
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    he grew up near my husband-in Great Bend KS. also from TI
    yes. our culture has ceased to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our great inventors. I think this died sometime between the early 20th century and the 30s. Part and parcel of the philosophy of anti-individualism that gave rise to the anti-trust laws which have done more to harm inventors and the economy and property rights than any other regulation.
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    almost all inventions-particularly the best inventions seem obvious after the fact. Especially, if you can understand how they work. there are aprox. a million words in the english language. think of all the combinations possible. there are a handful of musical notes.
    There are 2.5 BILLION transistors in an Intel CPU. think of all the possible combinations!
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    my husband sold oscilloscopes for Tectronix while he was going to night law school. He made more than as an engineer. there's something wrong with that...
    and yes, slap it together
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  • Posted by $ MikeMarotta 10 years, 5 months ago
    It is a feature of some great inventions that they seem obvious in retrospect. I understand the evolution of the integrated circuit chip from Fleming valve and the cat-whisker diode through the transistor. Linear improvements meant that could put more components on each new chip. That you could put a whole little computer on a chip seems clear - now.

    I documented a few microprocessors but by the time I did that, they had come a long way: RISC - reduced instruction set computers; and parallel processors. Until I read this article and then tracked the biographies, I never realized the quantum leap in thinking that this involved.
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  • Posted by Danno 10 years, 5 months ago
    I studied mathematics but had to take a digital design class that was very good. I designed a DVR for an oscilloscope and built a Z80-based system, created the boot-strap, and programmed the assembly code. This gave me insight and respect into how computers work. Now it is just slap it together and run.
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  • Posted by DaveM49 10 years, 5 months ago
    I am reminded of Jack Kilby, the greatest inventor no one has ever heard of. He invented the microchip. How often are you NOT using his invention? Perhaps when you are asleep, though if you have a clock radio....

    Two men to be remembered, and honored.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 10 years, 5 months ago
    Microcontroller units (MCUs) are in everything. They cost about 50 cents, and can do complicated tasks while consuming only a few micro amps. Even ones like CC430, which have an entire 250kbps 10mW radio transceiver built in, cost around $3, about the same as the power connectors on most boards. There has already been a revolution from embedded MCUs in everything, but maybe Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) will take it the next step by adding a common very-low-power wireless standard.

    What we need next is even an inefficient way to transmit power wirelessly over short distances.

    It's amazing you knew him.
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