Communication

Return to the Timeline of innovation.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Broadcasting, Business, Communication, Firsts, Products, Sensing and Devices, The 1950s

Color television

SRI International

RCA Laboratories (now part of SRI) brings television to full-color life.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Business, Communication, Computing, Firsts, Products, Seminal Innovations, Software, The 1960s

The computer mouse and interactive computing

SRI International

Your Mouse. Our “X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System.” Thankfully Mouse won out.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Broadcasting, Business, Communication, Computing, Firsts, Products, Software, The 1970s

Digital FAX machine

SRI International

SRI develops the prototype for world’s first digital fax machine.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Communication, Computing, Federal programs, Safety, Security and Defense, The 1970s

911 emergency call system

SRI International

We led the design and engineering of emergency call systems throughout the country.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Communication, Computing, Cyber Security, Firsts, Internet, Security and Defense, Software, The 1990s

Virtual private networks

SRI International

VPNs let people connect to work from home. Sorry it’s been so successful.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Business, Communication, Computing, Education, Firsts, Products, Sensing and Devices, Software, Speech/ audio, The 1990s

Natural language speech recognition

SRI International

Speech recognition technology translates to multiple successful spin-offs.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Communication, Earth and Space, Federal programs, Firsts, Radar, Security and Defense, Sensing and Devices, The 2000s

Advanced modular incoherent scatter radar

SRI International

Our AMISR ushered in relocatable radar to read atmospheric events, rain, sleet or tsunami.

History of innovation November 16, 2021 Artificial Intelligence, Business, Communication, Computing, Firsts, Products, Seminal Innovations, Sensing and Devices, Software, The 2000s

Siri

SRI International

Apple acquired our spin-off and the iPhone got Siri.