Philo Farnsworth (August 19, 1906 - March 11, 1971), was an inventor born in Utah, United States, recognized for developing the completely electronic system for television. He is one of the pioneers of the evolution of the television image. Among the most outstanding equipment that he developed is the "image dissector".
Previously, before the development of the electronic system, the television worked mechanically from the use of a disk with spiral-shaped holes, known as the Nipkow disk.
Photograph by Philo Farnsworth
Harris & Ewing
Later, electronic systems would develop mechanisms that would allow an image to be examined electronically. Some examples are the cathode ray tube and the LCD system, made up of liquid crystals. The latter is also often seen in small electronic devices such as calculators.
Biography
From high school, Farnsworth showed increasing interest in science and specifically in topics such as the theory of electrons and the molecular theory of matter. He was the eldest of five siblings in his family. His parents were Lewis Edwin Farnsworth and Serena Amanda Bastian. His first approaches to science were through scientific journals.
In his youth began his interests in matters related to television. In 1923 he began studies at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, parallel to his high school studies. His father's death in January of the following year forced him to drop out of college to work for his family while completing his remaining academic commitments.
During the same year, 1924, he applied to enter the United States Naval Academy in Maryland. During the admissions process, she obtained the second highest rating nationwide. Months later she retired.
Back in Provo, he took up classes at Brigham Young University. He used available resources, such as laboratories, for his own research. During this season she also obtained a certification from the National Radio Institute.
At this time of study he meets Elma "Pem" Gardner who would become his wife. Later, with her brother, Cliff Gardner, he started a radio repair business in Salt Lake City. After her failure, she met Leslie Gorrel and George Everson, two philanthropists who funded Farnsworth's research with an initial $ 6,000 at a laboratory in Los Angeles.
Age of alliances
In 1927 he made his first television transmission with an electronic system and applied for a patent for his system. Since 1928 he started demonstrations supported by his sponsors. The idea was to be bought by a much larger company.
By 1930 the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) learned of his invention, whose representative was Vladimir Zworykin, the leader of electronic television projects and creator of the iconoscope, one of the most important elements in history for the development of television.
Zworykin's attention focused on the camera tube, Farnsworth's invention, which he called the "image dissector." RCA offered about $ 100,000 plus steady employment for the device, but Farnsworth declined the offer. By 1931, however, he became an ally of the radio manufacturers Philadelphia Storage Battery Company (Philco) until 1933.
Later he formed his own company called Farnsworth Television and in 1937 made a licensing agreement with the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) so that each member could use the other's patents. The following year, the company was reorganized as Farnsworth Television and Radio and after buying Capehart Corporation's phonograph factory in Indiana, the manufacture of radios began in 1939.
During this same time, Farnsworth was confronted with the RCA, who tried to invalidate his patents. However, they eventually reached an agreement and RCA paid the corresponding royalties to the inventor.
After a nervous attack, Farnsworth moves to Maine to recover. In the early 1940s, World War II halted work focused on the development of television in America. For this reason, the inventor took over the Farnsworth Television Company in 1947 upon his return to Fort Wayne, producing his first television set.
Due to financial problems, the company was bought by International Telephone and Telegraph (IT&T) in 1949 and its organization changed to Capehart-Farnsworth. Here he was in charge of the vice-presidency of investigations. The company was in operation producing televisions until 1965. Its main competitor was always RCA, who did not stop being the biggest rival for Farnsworth throughout his life.
Last years
During the last years of his life and career, Farnsworth was interested in nuclear fusion and began research with funding from IT&T. His main invention within this area was a device called a "melter", the purpose of which was to serve as the basis for a fusion reactor. But the performance of his invention did not meet the expected expectations and IT&T stopped economic investment in research.
Farnsworth decided to continue his business at Brigham Young University, thus returning to Utah. With his new company, which he called Philo T. Farnsworth Associates, the inventor tried to continue his research until the association went bankrupt in 1970.
Before his death, Farnsworth had a season of alcohol abuse. In 1971 he became seriously ill with pneumonia and died on March 11. Together with his wife he had two sons: Russel and Kent Farnsworth.
Main contribution
The image dissector was one of the most important devices created by Farnsworth for the development of electronic television, being his most valuable patent.
Photograph of the image dissector, created by Philo Farnsworth.
Philo T. Farnsworth
It works through emissions from a photocathode (a light-sensitive device that can discharge electrons), which were capable of creating an "electron image" that is then translated into electrical signals. In turn, these allowed to represent the image visually.
The inventor's goal was to obtain 400 electrical signals, and then, in a test conducted in September 1927, he succeeded in making a transmission. As mentioned above, even though RCA tried to obtain the patent for this invention, Farnsworth managed to keep it and be recognized for this.
References
- Gregersen E (2019) Philo Farnsworth. American Inventor. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com
- Philo Taylor Farnsworth. National Inventors Hall of Fame. Recovered from invent.org
- Philo Farnsworth. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org
- Farnsworth, Philo Taylor. Historical forum of telecommunications. Recovered from Forohistorico.coit.es
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Brigham Young University. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com