Andrew Viterbi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew J. Viterbi
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| Born |
Andrea Giacomo Viterbi
March 9, 1935 Bergamo, Italy
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| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, MS) University of Southern California (PhD) |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) |
Erna Finci
(m. 1958; died 2015) |
| Children | 3 |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Electrical |
| Institutions | University of Southern California Board of Trustees The Scripps Research Institute Board of Trustees, Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute |
| Employer(s) | Professor: UC Los Angeles UC San Diego Founder/Co-founder: Linkabit Corporation Qualcomm Inc. The Viterbi Group |
| Projects | Viterbi algorithm |
| Significant advance | Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standard for cell phone networks |
| Awards | IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal (1984) Marconi Prize (1990) Claude E. Shannon Award (1991) Wireless Hall of Fame (2000) National Medal of Science (2007) IEEE/RSE James Clerk Maxwell Medal (2007) Millennium Technology Prize (2008) IEEE Medal of Honor (2010) John Fritz Medal (2011) |
Andrew James Viterbi (born Andrea Giacomo Viterbi, March 9, 1935) is a brilliant American engineer and businessman. He is famous for co-founding Qualcomm Inc., a company that makes technology for cell phones. He also invented the Viterbi algorithm, which is a super important tool in digital communication.
The University of Southern California honored him by naming its engineering school the Viterbi School of Engineering in 2004. This was after he made a very generous gift to the school.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to the US
Andrew Viterbi was born in Bergamo, Italy. His original name was Andrea. When he was two years old, his family moved to the United States. This was just before World War II. When they became US citizens, his parents changed his name to Andrew.
His Journey in Education
Andrew Viterbi went to the Boston Latin School. In 1952, he started studying electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He earned two degrees from MIT in 1957: a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Master of Science (MS).
After MIT, he worked at companies like Raytheon and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). At JPL, he helped develop technology for uncrewed space missions. While working, he also studied for his PhD at the University of Southern California. He finished his PhD in 1963, focusing on digital communications.
Amazing Career Achievements
After getting his PhD, Andrew Viterbi became a professor. He taught electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and later at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
The Viterbi Algorithm
In 1967, he created something called the Viterbi algorithm. This algorithm helps computers understand jumbled or noisy information. Think of it like a super-smart decoder! It's still used a lot today in:
- Cell phones: It helps correct errors when you're talking or texting.
- Speech recognition: It helps devices understand what you say.
- DNA analysis: Scientists use it to study genetic information.
- And many other areas where computers need to make sense of complex data.
Developing Cell Phone Technology
Andrew Viterbi also played a key role in creating the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standard. This is a very important technology that helps many cell phones use the same network at the same time without interfering with each other. It's a big reason why modern cell phone networks work so well!
Starting Companies
In 1968, Viterbi co-founded Linkabit Corporation with Irwin M. Jacobs. This company worked on telecommunications. Later, in 1985, he and Jacobs co-founded Qualcomm Inc.. Qualcomm became a huge company known for its wireless technology.
Today, Andrew Viterbi is the president of The Viterbi Group, a company that invests in new businesses. He also advises other companies in the wireless communication field.
Honors and Awards
Andrew Viterbi has received many important awards for his work:
- In 1978, he became a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
- In 2000, he was added to the Wireless Hall of Fame for his contributions to the cell phone industry.
- In 2004, the University of Southern California named its engineering school after him. This was a huge honor!
- He received the National Medal of Science in 2008. This is one of the highest awards a scientist or engineer can get in the US.
- In 2008, he was a finalist for the Millennium Technology Prize in Finland for inventing the Viterbi algorithm.
- In 2010, he received the IEEE Medal of Honor, a top award in electrical engineering.
- In 2013, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
- In 2017, he and Irwin Jacobs received the IEEE Milestone Award for their work on CDMA.
Personal Life
Andrew Viterbi was married to Erna Finci (1934–2015). Erna was a Jewish refugee from Sarajevo (which was part of Yugoslavia). During World War II, her family had to flee from the Nazis. They were helped by kind people in Italy and later escaped to Switzerland, walking across the Alps to safety.
Andrew and Erna had three children: Alan, Audrey, and Alexander. Their son Alan was involved in local government, serving as mayor of West Hollywood in 1988. Their daughter Audrey became a professor at UC Irvine.
See Also
In Spanish: Andrew Viterbi para niños
- List of International Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
- Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research
Images for kids
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The Viterbi School of Engineering at USC.
