Josef Kates
Encyclopedia
Dr. Josef Kates is a Canadian
engineer whose achievements include designing the first digital game-playing machine, and the world's first automated traffic signalling system.
in 1940. He lived for a short time in New Brunswick and Quebec (1940–1942), before settling in Toronto (1942–present).
He was educated at Goethe-Realschule (Vienna
: 1931 - 1938); McGill University
(Montreal
: 1941, junior and senior matriculation); University of Toronto
(Toronto
: 1944 - 1948, Honours in Mathematics
and Physics
; 1948 - 1949: M.A. in Applied Math; 1949 - 1951: Ph.D. in Physics).
He started his career working for the Imperial Optical Company of Toronto
in 1942, and was in charge of precision optics for Royal Canadian Navy
equipment until he left in 1944. He then spent time working for Rogers Vacuum Tube Company
, (now Royal Philips Electronics), for the next 4 years in the development and manufacturing of radar and radio tubes. This background gave him a solid foundation on which to pursue his work in 1948 at the University of Toronto, Computation Centre where he participated in the design and building of UTEC
the first pilot model of a computer built in Canada. Dr. Kates also built the first digital game playing machine ("Bertie the Brain") which was exhibited at the 1950 Canadian National Exhibition
and which used a special electron tube of his own design, the Additron Tube
. He also designed Toronto's automated traffic signalling system in 1954 - the first in the world.
He went on to found and become the President of KCS Ltd in Toronto between 1954 and 1966, which merged with the consulting arm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. to become Kates, Peat, Marwick & Co. in Canada, with other corporations in the US and the UK, for which he acted as a co-managing partner. He served as a computer consultant to numerous Canadian and American firms and organizations. He was involved in the creation of Setak Computer Services Corp. Ltd. (his last name spelled backwards) which was based in Toronto. It offered computer access and consulting based on Burroughs computers, e.g. the B5500. In 1974 he founded Josef Kates Associates Inc., for which he acted as president.
In 1975 he acted as chairman of the now defunct, Science Council of Canada
in Ottawa for 3 years, having served on the council since 1968. Other positions as chairman, CEO and Director of companies such as Teleride Sage Ltd. (1977–1996), and IRD Teleride (1996–1997) followed until his retirement.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
engineer whose achievements include designing the first digital game-playing machine, and the world's first automated traffic signalling system.
Background
Josef Kates was the son of Baruch (Bernard) and Anna Katz (née Entenberg). He married Lillian Kroch (deceased), and then Mary K. Hill. His children were Louis, Naomi, Celina and Philip A. Kates arrived in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1940. He lived for a short time in New Brunswick and Quebec (1940–1942), before settling in Toronto (1942–present).
He was educated at Goethe-Realschule (Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
: 1931 - 1938); McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
(Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
: 1941, junior and senior matriculation); University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
: 1944 - 1948, Honours in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
; 1948 - 1949: M.A. in Applied Math; 1949 - 1951: Ph.D. in Physics).
He started his career working for the Imperial Optical Company of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1942, and was in charge of precision optics for Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
equipment until he left in 1944. He then spent time working for Rogers Vacuum Tube Company
Rogers Vacuum Tube Company
Rogers Vacuum Tube Company was founded as "Standard Radio Manufacturing" in 1925 by Edward S. Rogers, Sr. to sell Rogers "Batteryless" radio using vacuum tube technology. It was later renamed Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited when Rogers merged his company with Majestic Corporation of Chicago...
, (now Royal Philips Electronics), for the next 4 years in the development and manufacturing of radar and radio tubes. This background gave him a solid foundation on which to pursue his work in 1948 at the University of Toronto, Computation Centre where he participated in the design and building of UTEC
UTEC
UTEC was a computer built at the University of Toronto in the early 1950s. It was one of the first working computers in the world, although only built in a prototype form while awaiting funding for expansion into a full-scale version. This funding was eventually used to purchase a surplus...
the first pilot model of a computer built in Canada. Dr. Kates also built the first digital game playing machine ("Bertie the Brain") which was exhibited at the 1950 Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
and which used a special electron tube of his own design, the Additron Tube
Additron Tube
The Additron was an electron tube designed by Dr. Josef Kates, circa 1950, to replace the several individual electron tubes and support components required to perform the function of a single bit digital full adder. Dr...
. He also designed Toronto's automated traffic signalling system in 1954 - the first in the world.
He went on to found and become the President of KCS Ltd in Toronto between 1954 and 1966, which merged with the consulting arm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. to become Kates, Peat, Marwick & Co. in Canada, with other corporations in the US and the UK, for which he acted as a co-managing partner. He served as a computer consultant to numerous Canadian and American firms and organizations. He was involved in the creation of Setak Computer Services Corp. Ltd. (his last name spelled backwards) which was based in Toronto. It offered computer access and consulting based on Burroughs computers, e.g. the B5500. In 1974 he founded Josef Kates Associates Inc., for which he acted as president.
In 1975 he acted as chairman of the now defunct, Science Council of Canada
Science Council of Canada
The Science Council of Canada was a Canadian governmental advisory board existing from 1966 to 1993. It originally had 25 scientists and senior civil servants, later expanded to 40 natural and physical scientists, with the civil servants removed....
in Ottawa for 3 years, having served on the council since 1968. Other positions as chairman, CEO and Director of companies such as Teleride Sage Ltd. (1977–1996), and IRD Teleride (1996–1997) followed until his retirement.
Honors
He was honoured many times in life, including:- Canadian Good Roads Association (now Transportation Association of Canada (1957: best paper)
- University of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooThe University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
(Waterloo: 1979-85, Chancellor; 1993: Chancellor Emeritus) - LL.D. (Concordia UniversityConcordia UniversityConcordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
: 1986) - Medal from the Engineering Institute of CanadaEngineering Institute of CanadaThe Engineering Institute of Canada is a federation of twelve engineering societies based in Canada, covering a broad range of engineering branches, and with a history going back to 1887...
(1970) - Julian Smith Medal (1977)
- Engineering Institute of Canada (1990: Fellow)
- Canadian Association of Management Consultants (1994: Fellow)
- Doctor of Mathematics (DMath) (University of Waterloo) (2005)
- Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(2011)
Memberships
He retained membership in the following organizations- Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto)Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto)Mount Sinai Hospital is a hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Although it is physically linked by bridges and tunnels to two University Health Network hospitals , Mount Sinai is an independently operated facility...
(member of the Board of Governors) - Technion University, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(member of the Canadian Board) - Donalda Club (Toronto)
- Canadian Board of the Weizmann Institute (Israel)