Russell A. Kirsch
Encyclopedia
Russell A. Kirsch led a team of colleagues in creating America’s first internally programmable computer
, the Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC), capable of scanning digital image
s in 1957. SEAC produced a photograph of Kirsch’s three month old son in a mere 176 pixel
s, measuring 5x5cm. Because of this breakthrough, satellite imaging, CAT scans, bar codes, and desktop publishing
were made possible.
and graduated in 1946. He continued his education at New York University
in 1950, Harvard University
in 1952, and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
.
. They use computer programming
to examine painting
s and define the process by which they were created. Their son Walden now works for Intel
in the Communications department.
s. Years later, the team constructed a drum scanner to “trace variations of intensity over the surfaces of photographs.” They used the computer to extract line drawing
s, count objects, recognize types of characters and produce oscilloscope
displays.
Later in life, he became the director of research of the Sturvil Corporation and a past Advisory Editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He is currently the Advisory Editor of the journal, Languages of Design.
, in 2003 Life magazine
credited this image as one of the “100 Photographs That Changed the World.” Although Kirsch did not work for NASA, his invention led to increased technology crucial to the 1960s space exploration
s, including the Apollo moon landing. Without the ability to scan digital photographs from a camera, we would not have today’s images of planets, the sun, earth’s surface and much more. Medical advancements such as Sir Godfrey Hounsfield
’s CAT scan can also be attributed to Kirsch’s research.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
, the Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC), capable of scanning digital image
Digital image
A digital image is a numeric representation of a two-dimensional image. Depending on whether or not the image resolution is fixed, it may be of vector or raster type...
s in 1957. SEAC produced a photograph of Kirsch’s three month old son in a mere 176 pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
s, measuring 5x5cm. Because of this breakthrough, satellite imaging, CAT scans, bar codes, and desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
were made possible.
Education
Russell A. Kirsch went to school at the Bronx High School of ScienceBronx High School of Science
The Bronx High School of Science is a specialized New York City public high school often considered the premier science magnet school in the United States. Founded in 1938, it is now located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx...
and graduated in 1946. He continued his education at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1950, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1952, and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
.
Personal life
Russell is married to Joan (née Levin) Kirsch. He has spent most of his professional life in Washington, D.C. where he was affiliated with the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) for nearly 50 years. Russell is retired and lives in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. They use computer programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
to examine painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s and define the process by which they were created. Their son Walden now works for Intel
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
in the Communications department.
Career
Kirsch has held a long time standing at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). During his career at the NBS, Kirsch and his team of colleagues, Wright, Shupe and Cooper, founded America’s first internally programmable computer. This internal memory greatly increased the power of processing for future inventionInvention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
s. Years later, the team constructed a drum scanner to “trace variations of intensity over the surfaces of photographs.” They used the computer to extract line drawing
Line drawing
Line drawings may mean:*Line art, a style of two-dimensional art featuring only two, unshaded, contrasting colors; or*a line drawing algorithm in computer graphics.See also:...
s, count objects, recognize types of characters and produce oscilloscope
Oscilloscope
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences using the vertical or 'Y' axis, plotted as a function of time,...
displays.
Later in life, he became the director of research of the Sturvil Corporation and a past Advisory Editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He is currently the Advisory Editor of the journal, Languages of Design.
Accomplishments
Due to the importance of the first digital photographDigital photography
Digital photography is a form of photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film...
, in 2003 Life magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
credited this image as one of the “100 Photographs That Changed the World.” Although Kirsch did not work for NASA, his invention led to increased technology crucial to the 1960s space exploration
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
s, including the Apollo moon landing. Without the ability to scan digital photographs from a camera, we would not have today’s images of planets, the sun, earth’s surface and much more. Medical advancements such as Sir Godfrey Hounsfield
Godfrey Hounsfield
Sir Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield CBE, FRS, was an English electrical engineer who shared the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Allan McLeod Cormack for his part in developing the diagnostic technique of X-ray computed tomography .His name is immortalised in the Hounsfield scale, a...
’s CAT scan can also be attributed to Kirsch’s research.