Communications A look back Background Communications is the act of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Communications A look back

Background • Communications is the act of conveying information using exchange of thoughts, messages or information, using speech, visuals, signals, writing or behavior. • This presentation traces communications from the past to about 2000. Our class will take it from there.

Cave paintings • Prior to about 3500 BC

Hieroglyphic writing • Around 3500 BC • Egyptians and Sumerians

On foot • 490 BC, Phidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to warm the Athenians of the approaching Persian army. Apparently, he died from the strain. • Foot would remain important for communication, using horses during Roman times (14AD), Kublai Khan times (1280 AD) and our Pony Express (1861 AD)

Metal mirrors & the Sun • Around 26-37 AD, Roman Emperor Tiberius rules empire by signaling with polished metal to reflect the sun.

Paper! • In 751, Paper is introduced, using wood pulp. • In 1844, Charles Fenerty produces paper from wood pulp.

Printing • 1305 Chinese develop wooden block movable type printing • 1450 Johannes Gutenberg creates metal moveable type printing press

Telegraph from tower to electric • 1792 Claude Chappe establishes first long distance semaphore telegraph line (uses towers to send visual signals) • 1831 Joseph Henry builds electric telegraph

Morse code and long distance • 1835 Samuel Morse develops Morse Code • 1843 Morse builds long distance electric telegraph

Electric telephone • 1876 Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson create electric telephone line

Phonograph • 1877 Thomas Edison patents phonograph

Radio signals for communication • 1901 Guglielmo Marconi transmits radio signals

First television signal • 1925 John Logie Baird transmits first television signal. During World War 2, he developed the first color picture tube.

Beginning of cell phone technology • 1947 Douglas H. Ring and W. Rae Young of Bell Labs proposed a cell based approach to technology which would lead to cell phones.

First copying machine • 1958 Chester Carlson presents first photocopier suitable for office use

Internet ancestors • 1969 First hosts of ARPANET (Internet ancestors) are connected

WWW (World Wide Web) • 1989 Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailiau build prototype for World Wide Web at CERN

First Text Message • 1992 Neil Papworth sends first SMS (or text message)

Digital Satellite • 2001 first digital cinema transmission by satellite

Communication Technology today: • Websites • SMS (Text messaging) • Blogs • Social networks • Email • Tweeting • Discussion groups • Chat • Video conferencing • Instant messaging • Voice messaging

Discussion questions • Which type of communication mentioned do you feel is the most important for personal use? Business use? • What are some of the advantages of the increasing types of communication available? • What are some disadvantages of these options?