Articles
About the Invention | About the Inventor | Impact of the invention | In Jack’s Own Words
Bet you didn’t know this:
Kilby credited a 1938 blizzard in his hometown for prompting him to take up the ham radio and, ultimately, pursue a career in electrical engineering.
The electronics industry initially greeted the integrated circuit with skepticism. However, the invention gained momentum in military programs; the Air Force unveiled the first computer using silicon chips in 1961 and, a year later, used the computer to guide the Minuteman Missle. The first handheld calculator, which Kilby helped develop, soon followed.
Kilby and Robert Noyce topped PC World’s 2008 list of the Top 50 Technology Visionaries. The two men independently developed versions of the integrated circuit and, according to the magazine, “Nothing else on this list could exist without the underpinning of the integrated circuit.”
This collection of articles and Websites is packed with fascinating tidbits and anecdotes about Kilby and the world he helped create. Take a moment to read on.
About the Invention
“The History of the Integrated Circuit,” from Nobelprize.org
“The Monolithic Idea,” from the APF Reporter, 1982
“The Microelectronic Revolution Begins,” from the Smithsonian Institution
“The (Pre-) History of the Integrated Circuit: Random Walk,” IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society News, 2007
“Crystal Fire: The Invention, Development and Impact of the Transistor,” adapted from Chapter 1 of “Crystal Fire: The Birth of the Information Age” 1997
“The IC’s surprising birth,” 2000 The American Society of Mechanical Engineering
Back to top
About the Inventor
Jack Kilby Monument project
The Kilby International Awards
Kansas State Historical Society
National Academy of Engineering Great Achievements Timeline
Datamath Calculator Museum
IEEE Virtual Museum
Hometown coverage from the Great Bend Tribune
“Kilby invention changed communication, 2001
“Kilby’s accomplishments tracked to a Kansas blizzard in 1938,” 2001
“Sister remembers growing up in Great Bend,” 2001
“Kilby was the boy next door,” 2001
“Board creates Kilby Commons,” 2001
“Park named Kilby Square,” 2001
“Kilby accustomed to honors,” 2001
“Kilby house boasts ghost stories,” 2001
“Kilby honored by school,” 2001
“Fund raising for ‘The Gift’ under way,” 2007
“Gifts for ‘The Gift,” 2008
Back to top
Impact of the invention
“The chip that Jack built,” from Texas Instruments
1999 finalist nominee in Computerworld’s “A Search for New Heroes” category: “Invention of Monolithic Integrated Circuit”
PC World Top 50 Technology Visionaries, May 2008
“A day in your life,” from Texas Instruments
Chairman and CEO Rich Templeton addresses 2008 stockholders meeting
Back to top
In Jack’s Own Words
Just as he had a knack for solving scientific problems, Kilby also had a humble way with words.
“I've reached the age where young people frequently ask for my advice,” Kilby wrote in 2000, shortly after receiving the Nobel Prize. “All I can really say is that electronics is a fascinating field that I continue to find fulfilling. The field is still growing rapidly, and the opportunities that are ahead are at least as great as they were when I graduated from college. My advice is to get involved and get started.”
What if he had gone on vacation: a first-hand account of how Jack built the chip
IEEE article: “Invention of the Integrated Circuit,” 1976; available to IEEE members
IEEE article: “The Electrical Century,” 2000
Nobelprize.org with copy of Jack’s autobiography
|
Sample & Purchase Cart | 
