SRI International: Difference between revisions
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===1950s=== |
===1950s=== |
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In the early 1950s, the [[Disney family|Disney]] brothers sought SRI's advice regarding a |
In the early 1950s, the [[Disney family|Disney]] brothers sought SRI's advice regarding a small amusement park called [[Disneyland]] which they intended to build in [[Burbank, Los Angeles County, California|Burbank]], [[California]]. SRI provided them information on such topics as location, attendance patterns, and economic feasibility. SRI also selected a much larger site, in [[Anaheim]], and prepared reports covering many aspects of operation. They also provided on-site administrative support and continued an advisory role for some time as the park expanded. |
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In [[1952]], the [[Technicolor Corporation]] contracted with SRI to develop a near-instantaneous electro-optical alternative to the manual process of timing during film copying. In [[1959]], the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] presented the Scientific and Engineering Award jointly to SRI and the Technicolor Corporation for their work on the design and development of the Technicolor electronic printing timer which greatly benefited the motion picture industry. |
In [[1952]], the [[Technicolor Corporation]] contracted with SRI to develop a near-instantaneous electro-optical alternative to the manual process of timing during film copying. In [[1959]], the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] presented the Scientific and Engineering Award jointly to SRI and the Technicolor Corporation for their work on the design and development of the Technicolor electronic printing timer which greatly benefited the motion picture industry. |
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Revision as of 19:42, 27 January 2006
SRI International is one of the world's largest contract research institutions. It was founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 by a small group of business executives in conjunction with Stanford University as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. Later it became fully independent and was incorporated as a non-profit organization under US and California laws. Its headquarters are in Menlo Park, California, near Stanford University. Curtis Carlson, Ph.D. is currently President and CEO of SRI International.
SRI International has more than 1,000 patents and patent applications worldwide. SRI International conducts research and development in many areas, both independently and for hire, and sells reports on independent research.
In 1970, the Stanford Research Institute formally separated from Stanford University, and in 1977, became known as SRI International. This was a belated response to anti-war student protesters who believed that SRI's DARPA-funded work was essentially making Stanford part of the military-industrial complex.
Projects
1940s
In 1948, SRI began research and consultation with the petroleum company Chevron to develop an artificial substitute for tallow and coconut oil used in making soaps. SRI's investigation confirmed the potential of dodecyl benzene as a suitable replacement, and later Procter & Gamble used the substance as the basis of their highly successful household detergent, Tide.
1950s
In the early 1950s, the Disney brothers sought SRI's advice regarding a small amusement park called Disneyland which they intended to build in Burbank, California. SRI provided them information on such topics as location, attendance patterns, and economic feasibility. SRI also selected a much larger site, in Anaheim, and prepared reports covering many aspects of operation. They also provided on-site administrative support and continued an advisory role for some time as the park expanded.
In 1952, the Technicolor Corporation contracted with SRI to develop a near-instantaneous electro-optical alternative to the manual process of timing during film copying. In 1959, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented the Scientific and Engineering Award jointly to SRI and the Technicolor Corporation for their work on the design and development of the Technicolor electronic printing timer which greatly benefited the motion picture industry.
In 1954, Southern Pacific asked SRI to investigate ways of reducing the losses due to damage during rail freight shipments by mitigating shocks to loaded railroad box cars. This investigation lead to the development of the Hydra-Cushion technology which remains standard to this day.
In the 1950s, SRI worked under the direction of the Bank of America to develop an automated check processing system with magnetic ink encoding.
1960s
In 1964, Bill English, then the chief engineer at SRI, built the first prototype of a computer mouse.
In the 1960s, liquid crystal display (LCD) technology was developed at RCA Laboratories, now SRI's wholly-owned subsidiary, the Sarnoff Corporation.
On October 29, 1969, SRI received the very first transmission on the ARPANET, the predecessor to the internet, from UCLA. SRI hosted one of the original four network nodes, along with UCLA, UCSB, and the University of Utah.
From 1966 through 1972, SRI's Artificial Intelligence Center developed the first mobile robot to reason about its actions. Named "Shakey", the robot had a television camera, a triangulating range finder, and bump [sensor|sensors]]. Shakey the Robot used software for perception, world-modeling, and acting.
SRI International researchers also developed the world's first and only all-magnetic digital computer, based upon extensions to magnetic core memories.
1970s
In the 1970s, SRI went on to develop many other technologies, including packet-switched radio (the precursor to today's wireless networking), over-the-horizon radar, Deafnet, malaria treatments, vacuum microelectronics, Laser Photocoagulation (a treatment for some eye maladies), LaTeX, and software-implemented fault tolerance.
In 1972, Dr. Harold E. Puthoff, a researcher at SRI, put forth a series of proposals to study quantum mechanics in life processes. This resulted in the now controversial remote viewing CIA programs that have been reportedly discontinued and declassified since. Douglas C. Engelbart, best known for inventing the computer mouse, and as a pioneer of human-computer interaction, is arguably SRI's most notable alumnus.
1980s
In the 1980s, SRI developed, among other things, HDTV, Zylon, stealth technologies, improvements to ultrasound imaging, FRASTAscope, frequency modulation spectroscopy, two-dimensional laser fluorescence imaging, surface analysis by laser ionization (SALI), a multimedia electronic mail system, intrusion detection expert systems, theory of noninterference in computer security, a multilevel secure (MLS) relational database system called SeaView, and order-sorted algebra.