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News Release 13-077
New National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees Received Vital NSF Support
Wireless communication, plasma display and iris recognition helped by National Science Foundation
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![showing a computer monitor, a smart phone and an eye scanner display](/news/mmg/media/images/inventors_hof_f.jpg)
The inventors of an important wireless communication technique, plasma display and iris recognition--Andrew Viterbi, Donald Blitzer and John Daugman--were inducted into the United States Patent and Trademark Office's National Inventors Hall of Fame on May 1, 2013. The work of these inventors was, in part, supported by the National Science Foundation.
Credit: Thinkstock
Electrical engineer and cofounder of wireless technology giant Qualcomm, Andrew Viterbi, received two National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grants to further develop and commercialize Code Division Multiple Access, a technology important for wireless communication throughout the world.
Credit: NSF
Computer scientist Donald Bitzer discusses how NSF support of PLATO, the first computer system to offer students free, computer-assisted instruction, provided an incentive for continued development and use of plasma displays.
Credit: NSF