Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:35, 8 November 2019

Revision as of 08:02, 18 December 2019

Line 28:

=== Founders ===

[[Henry Edward Roberts]] studied Electrical Engineering at the [[University of Miami]] before enlisting in the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] in 1962.<ref name = "Zannos 2002">{{cite book | last = Zannos | first = Susan | title = Edward Roberts and the Story of the Personal Computer | publisher = Mitchell Lane Publishers | year = 2002 | page = [https://archive.org/details/edwardrobertssto0000zann/page/15 15] | isbn = 978-1-58415-118-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/edwardrobertssto0000zann/page/15 }}</ref> He soon became an electronics instructor at the [[Cryptography|Cryptographic]] Equipment Maintenance School at [[Lackland Air Force Base]] in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]].<ref>Roberts (1974), back cover, author biography</ref> To augment his meager enlisted man's pay, Roberts worked on several off-duty projects and even set up a one-man company, Reliance Engineering. The most notable job was to create the electronics that animated the Christmas characters in the window display of [[Joske's]] department store in San Antonio. In 1965, he was selected for an Air Force program to complete his college degree, and became a commissioned officer. Roberts earned an Electrical Engineering degree from [[Oklahoma State University]] in 1968 and was assigned to the Weapons Laboratory at [[Kirtland Air Force Base|Kirtland AFB]] in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]].<ref>Mims (1986), 24–27.</ref>

Forrest Mims was interested in science and electronics as a youth and even built an [[analog computer]] while in high school.<ref name = "ME 1987">{{cite magazine | last = Mims | first = Forrest | title = A Homebrew Analog Computer |magazine= Modern Electronics | volume = 4 | issue = 12 | pages =39–41 | date = December 1987 | issn = 0748-9889}}Mims describes the analog computer he built in high school. The article has a photograph and schematics of the computer.</ref> Mims graduated from [[Texas A&M University]] in 1966 (major in government with minors in English and history) then became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force.<ref name = "Blind">{{cite news | title = New Device Helps The Blind | work = The San Antonio Light | page = 2 | date = April 15, 1966| quote = Although a political science major at A&M, Mims's second interest obviously is 'science and inventing things.'}}</ref> While serving in [[Vietnam]] as an intelligence officer, Mims continued his model rocket hobby.<ref name = "Rocketry in Vietnam">{{cite journal | last = Mims | first = Forrest M. | title = Model Rocketry in Vietnam | journal = Model Rocketry | volume = 2 | issue = 4 | pages =23–25 | publisher = Model Rocketry, Inc | ___location = Cambridge, MA | date = January 1970 | url = http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/ModelRocketry/ModelRocketry.html}}</ref> At Texas A&M, Mims developed an infrared obstacle-sensing device and he experimented with it at the Saigon School for Blind Boys and Girls. Launching model rockets in an area accustomed to rocket attacks and working with blind children resulted in a story in the military newspaper, [[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|''Stars and Stripes'']].<ref name = "Stars Stripes 1967">{{cite journal | title = There Is No Substitute For Talent | journal = Pacific Stars and Stripes | volume = 23 | issue = 291 | page =9 | ___location = Tokyo, Japan | date = October 19, 1967}}</ref> This caught the attention of an Air Force Colonel, who arranged for Mims to be assigned to the Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland AFB even though Mims lacked an engineering degree.<ref>Mims (1986), 62–69.</ref>