John G. Linvill
Encyclopedia
John G. Linvill was an American
professor
(emeritus) of Electrical engineering
at Stanford University
, known for his pioneering work in higher education, integrated circuits and semiconductors, and for development of the Optacon
reading machine for the blind.
, and his B.S., M.S., and Sc.D. from MIT in 1943, 1945, and 1949 respectively.
In 1962, Dr. Linvill conceived the Optacon
(Optical-to-Tactile Converter) as a means to allow his blind daughter, Candy, to read ordinary print. He sparked the technical development of the device, which required innovations in integrated circuit technology developed under his leadership at Stanford. In 1970 he, Jim Bliss
, and others from Stanford and SRI
co-founded Telesensory Systems
(TSI) to manufacture and distribute the Optacon.
John Linvill was Chairman of the board of TSI, served on the boards of other Silicon Valley
corporations, and led technical committees for the National Research Council
, NASA
, and the IEEE
. He holds eleven U.S. patents.
He died February 19, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
(emeritus) of Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, known for his pioneering work in higher education, integrated circuits and semiconductors, and for development of the Optacon
Optacon
The Optacon is an electromechanical device that enables blind people to read printed material that has not been transcribed into Braille.- Description :...
reading machine for the blind.
Early life and education
He received his A.B. in mathematics in 1941 from William Jewell CollegeWilliam Jewell College
William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,100 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders, including Robert S. James, a Baptist minister and father of the...
, and his B.S., M.S., and Sc.D. from MIT in 1943, 1945, and 1949 respectively.
Career
He worked at Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1951 to 1955, when he joined the Stanford Electrical Engineering department. In 1969 he was appointed head of the EE department, and in 1979 he became Director of the Center for Integrated Systems at Stanford. His teaching and research concentrated on active circuits, transistors, and models of semiconductors.In 1962, Dr. Linvill conceived the Optacon
Optacon
The Optacon is an electromechanical device that enables blind people to read printed material that has not been transcribed into Braille.- Description :...
(Optical-to-Tactile Converter) as a means to allow his blind daughter, Candy, to read ordinary print. He sparked the technical development of the device, which required innovations in integrated circuit technology developed under his leadership at Stanford. In 1970 he, Jim Bliss
James C. Bliss
James C. Bliss is an American electrical engineer and entrepreneur best known for his pioneering role in developing technological aids for visually impaired people.-Technical research:Jim Bliss received his B.S.E.E...
, and others from Stanford and SRI
SRI International
SRI International , founded as Stanford Research Institute, is one of the world's largest contract research institutes. Based in Menlo Park, California, the trustees of Stanford University established it in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. It was later...
co-founded Telesensory Systems
Telesensory Systems
Telesensory Systems, Inc. was an American corporation that invented, designed, manufactured, and distributed technological aids for blind and low vision persons...
(TSI) to manufacture and distribute the Optacon.
John Linvill was Chairman of the board of TSI, served on the boards of other Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
corporations, and led technical committees for the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
, NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, and the IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
. He holds eleven U.S. patents.
He died February 19, 2011.
Honors and awards
- Fellow, IEEE
- elected member National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
(1971) - American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
- IEEE Education Medal (1976)
- John G. McAulay Award from the American Association of Workers for the Blind (1979)
- John Scott AwardJohn Scott AwardThe John Scott Legacy Medal and Premium, created in 1816, is a medal presented to men and women whose inventions improved the "comfort, welfare, and happiness of human kind" in a significant way...
from the Board of Directors of City Trusts of Philadelphia (1980), for the invention of the OptaconOptaconThe Optacon is an electromechanical device that enables blind people to read printed material that has not been transcribed into Braille.- Description :...
. - Medal of Achievement from the American Electronics Association (1983)