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IEEECelebrates2009NobelPrizeWinnersIEEElifemembersawardedforworkwithdigitalphotographyandhelpinglinktheworld
throughfiberopticnetworks
PISCATAWAY,N.J.October7,2009IEEE,theworldslargesttechnicalprofessionalassociation,isproud
to
congratulate
three
of
its
Life
Fellows
Dr.
Charles
K.
Kao,
Dr.
Willard
S.
Boyle
and
Dr.
George
E.
Smithasrecipientsofthe2009NobelPrizeinphysics.Recognizedforbreakthroughsinvolvingthe
transmissionoflightinfiberopticsandinventinganimagingsemiconductorcircuit,thethreescientists
createdthetechnologybehinddigitalphotographyandhelpedlinktheworldthroughfiberoptic
networks.
"Asaphysicistmyself,IamespeciallyproudthatthesethreemembersofIEEEhavebeenhonoredwith
theNobelPrizeinphysics,"saidIEEEPresidentJohnVig.
"Onbehalfofourmembersaroundtheglobe,I
congratulatetheseinnovatorsforbeingrecognizedforadvancingtechnologythathasbenefitted
humanity."
Acknowledgedfor
his
1966
discovery
that
showed
how
to
transmit
light
over
long
distances
via
optical
glassfibers,Dr.Kaohelpedbuildtheframeworkformodernbroadbandcommunicationnetworksthat
carrytodayshighspeedInternetdataandphonecallsaroundtheworld.
Workingtogether,Dr.BoyleandDr.Smithinventedthefirstimagingtechnologyusingadigitalsensor,a
chargedcoupleddevice(CCD).CCDtechnologyhasrevolutionizedphotographysothatlightcouldbe
capturedelectronically(intheformofpixels)insteadofonfilm.
TheinspirationofWillardBoyleand
GeorgeSmithtransformedanindustry,saidDr.GordonDay,PresidentofIEEEUSA.
Replacingfilm
withelectronicdevicesmadephotographyfasterandcheaper,anddigitalimaginghasledtogreat
advancesintheprocessinganddistributionofimages.
TheIEEE,knownasanorganizationthatbringsthebestmindsinscienceandtechnologytogetherto
benefitmankindishometomorethan19NobelPrizewinners,rangingfromGuglielmoMarconis1909NobelPrizeinPhysicsinrecognitionofhiscontributiontothedevelopmentofwirelesstelegraphyto
PaulC.LauterburandSirPeterMansfields2003NobelPrizeinMedicinefortheirdiscoveriesconcerning
magneticresonanceimaging.
TolearnmoreaboutIEEE,[email protected].
AboutIEEE
MediaContacts:AdrienneMcGarr
RuderFinnforIEEE
3123293907
[email protected]
FrancineTardo
IEEE
7324655865
[email protected]
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IEEE(InstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.),theworldslargesttechnicalprofessional
society,iscommemoratingits125thanniversaryin2009byCelebrating125YearsofEngineeringthe
Futurearoundtheglobe.Throughitsmorethan375,000membersin160countries,IEEEisaleading
authorityonawidevarietyofareasrangingfromaerospacesystems,computersand
telecommunicationstobiomedicalengineering,electricpowerandconsumerelectronics.Dedicatedto
theadvancementoftechnology,IEEEpublishes30percentoftheworldsliteratureintheelectricaland
electronicsengineeringandcomputersciencefields,andhasdevelopednearly900activeindustry
standards.Theorganizationannuallysponsorsmorethan850conferencesworldwide.Additional
informationaboutIEEEcanbefoundathttp://www.ieee.org.
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