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Edwin Howard Armstrong: FM Inventor
Dana M. Raymond
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| Seminar Introduction |
 In a basement laboratory at Columbia University, 22-year-old Edwin Howard Armstrong built the first regenerative circuit, which would make long-distance radio communication feasible. For the next 21 years, Armstrong strived to discover a method of broadcasting that would be static-free and carry the full frequency range of sound that is perceptible to the human ear. In 1933, at the age of 43, he achieved his goals with the invention of wideband FM radio, and the rest of his life was spent in heartbreaking litigation with former friends over ownership of the invention that revolutionized daily life. Despite a late-Victorian culture that encouraged innovation, many turn-of-the-century inventors faced similar legal struggles in their efforts to receive official recognition and compensation for their inventions. This seminar chronicles the life of Armstrong, the little-known but extraordinary inventor, and the struggles he faced patenting FM broadcasting technology. Using interviews and excerpts from Lawrence Lessing's biography Man of High Fidelity: Edwin Howard Armstrong, three of the leading authorities on Armstrong's life describe the long-term impacts of Armstrong's inventions and discuss how corporations and patent litigation have changed the role of the personal inventor in today's society.
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| Learning Objectives |
- Define regeneration and frequency modulation and understand their significance for broadcasting and wireless communication.
- Learn about the family environment and adolescent experiences that fostered Armstrong's lifelong love of technology and invention.
- Understand how patent laws, once created to encourage innovation, can negatively impact the productivity of an inventor.
- Learn about the varied influences that the Victorian era had on the inventive spirit and scientific innovation.
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| Sessions |
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| Credits |
Copyright 2000 by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.
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| Technical Requirements |
To appreciate this seminar experience, it is critical that you have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections. Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.
Browser: Netscape versions 4.x up to 4.76, or Internet Explorer versions 4.x or later. Your browser must have JavaScript enabled and must be set to accept cookies.
Network Connection: The recommended minimum connection is 56K modem with throughput of 34Kbps or more. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar. Plug-ins: If you do not have RealPlayer and Flash Player already installed, please download them from the following sites:
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