Reynold B. Johnson
Reynold B. Johnson (born July 7, 1906 in Dassel , Minnesota , † September 15, 1998 in Palo Alto , California ) was an American inventor who developed the first hard disk drive at IBM in 1956 ( IBM 350 ).
Johnson was the son of Swedish immigrants and grew up on a farm. Showing technical talent early on, he graduated from the University of Minnesota to become a teacher. After graduating in 1929, he taught science and math at a high school until he lost his job in 1933 due to budget cuts in the Great Depression . During his time as a teacher he invented a machine that automatically evaluated exam papers, which attracted the attention of IBM, who bought his patent and employed him in their research laboratory in Endicott in 1934 . His invention was marketed by IBM from 1937 (IBM 805 Test Scoring Machine). He developed a technique that converted marks made with pens on test sheets ( mark sensed in IBM jargon) into punch cards. The method was widely used in the United States and was also known as the electrographic method.
In 1952 he was sent to the west coast to set up and manage the research laboratory in San José. There, in 1956, the first hard disk drive was developed under his direction, which was marketed as the IBM 350 as part of the IBM 305 RAMAC computer (RAMAC standing for Random Access Method of Accounting and Control). Were also involved Louis Stevens , William A. Goddard , John Lynott . In 1966 he became an IBM Fellow . In 1971 he retired from IBM.
He then founded his own consulting firm Education Engineering Associates, where he developed teaching aids. Among other things, a microphone that gave acoustic explanations when a child pointed to a word or picture in a book. The invention was used by Fisher-Price in their Talk to Me Books .
Johnson held more than 90 patents. In 1996 he received the Certificate of Merit from the Franklin Institute . In 1986 he received the National Medal of Technology . He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering .
He was married and had two sons and a daughter.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Johnson, Reynold B. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American inventor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 7, 1906 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | at Dassel , Minnesota |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 15, 1998 |
| Place of death | Palo Alto , California |