Robotics Reviewer 9: History of Electronics

Study Notes

Brief History of Electronics

Electronics is a branch of science that focuses on the study and application of electronic devices and circuits.
Key figures in early electricity:
- Thales of Miletus (600 BCE) noted that rubbing amber with fur attracted objects, marking early observations of static electricity.
- William Gilbert (1600) coined the term "electricity" and differentiated between magnetism and electricity in "De Magnete."

Early Innovations

The Leyden Jar (1745) was the first capacitor capable of storing electric charges, independently developed by Pieter van Musschenbroek and Ewald Georg von Kleist.
John Ambrose Fleming invented the first vacuum tube, the diode, in 1904, which rectified AC to DC.
Lee De Forest improved the vacuum tube by creating the triode in 1906, which amplified electrical signals.

Semiconductors and Digital Revolution

The first transistor was invented in 1947 by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley at Bell Laboratories, enabling amplification and switching of electronic signals.
The integrated circuit (IC), developed by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, combined multiple transistors and components on a single chip, enhancing electronic device capabilities.

The Rise of Personal Computing

The 1980s marked the rise of personal computers, making computing accessible to the general public, with companies like IBM, Apple, and Microsoft leading the industry.
The Intel 4004, released in 1971, was the first microprocessor, centralizing processing tasks onto a single chip, revolutionizing computing.

Internet and Communication Advances

The late 20th century saw the development of the internet and digital communication technologies, greatly transforming global communication and commerce.

Brief History of Electronics

Electronics is a branch of science that focuses on the study and application of electronic devices and circuits.
Key figures in early electricity:
- Thales of Miletus (600 BCE) noted that rubbing amber with fur attracted objects, marking early observations of static electricity.
- William Gilbert (1600) coined the term "electricity" and differentiated between magnetism and electricity in "De Magnete."

Early Innovations

The Leyden Jar (1745) was the first capacitor capable of storing electric charges, independently developed by Pieter van Musschenbroek and Ewald Georg von Kleist.
John Ambrose Fleming invented the first vacuum tube, the diode, in 1904, which rectified AC to DC.
Lee De Forest improved the vacuum tube by creating the triode in 1906, which amplified electrical signals.

Semiconductors and Digital Revolution

The first transistor was invented in 1947 by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley at Bell Laboratories, enabling amplification and switching of electronic signals.
The integrated circuit (IC), developed by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, combined multiple transistors and components on a single chip, enhancing electronic device capabilities.

The Rise of Personal Computing

The 1980s marked the rise of personal computers, making computing accessible to the general public, with companies like IBM, Apple, and Microsoft leading the industry.
The Intel 4004, released in 1971, was the first microprocessor, centralizing processing tasks onto a single chip, revolutionizing computing.

Internet and Communication Advances

The late 20th century saw the development of the internet and digital communication technologies, greatly transforming global communication and commerce.

Description

This quiz covers Lesson 1 of the Robotics curriculum, focusing on the brief history of electronics. Key figures like Musschenbroek and von Kleist are discussed, highlighting the development and application of electronic devices and circuits. Test your knowledge of the foundational concepts in electronics.