Andy Hopper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Andy Hopper
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| Born |
Andrew Hopper
9 May 1953 Warsaw, Poland
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| Nationality | British |
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| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) |
Alison Gail Smith
(m. 1988) |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer Technology |
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| Thesis | Local area computer communications networks (1978) |
| Doctoral advisor | David Wheeler |
| Doctoral students | Andy Harter |
Sir Andrew Hopper (born 9 May 1953) is a British-Polish computer expert and business person. He is known for his work in computer networks and for starting many successful technology companies. He is a Professor at the University of Cambridge and has received many important awards for his contributions to computer science.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Andrew Hopper was born in Warsaw, Poland, on May 9, 1953. He grew up in London, England, and went to Quintin Kynaston School. After school, he studied for his first degree at Swansea University.
In 1974, he moved to the University of Cambridge to continue his studies. He earned his PhD in 1978. His research was about how computers connect and share information in a small area, like an office.
Research and Inventions
Sir Andy Hopper's early research focused on computer networks. He worked with another famous computer scientist, Maurice Wilkes. Together, they helped create the Cambridge Ring. This was an early type of computer network that allowed computers to talk to each other.
He is interested in how computers connect, multimedia systems (like video and audio), and Virtual Network Computing (VNC). VNC lets you control one computer from another, even if they are far apart. He also worked on "sentient computing," which means computers that can sense their surroundings.
One of his most famous inventions is the Active Badge. This small device could tell where a person was located inside a building. It helped create the idea of "ubiquitous data," where information is available everywhere.
After working at the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory for over 20 years, he became a professor in the Engineering Department. Later, he returned to the Computer Laboratory as its head.
Sir Andy Hopper's research also looks at how computers and AI can help make our planet more sustainable. He has guided about 50 students through their PhD studies. An annual scholarship for PhD students is named after him.
Building Companies
Sir Andy Hopper has helped start many technology companies. He is an entrepreneur, which means he creates and runs businesses.
- Early Ventures: In 1978, he co-founded Orbis Ltd to develop networking technology. This company later joined Acorn Computers Ltd. At Acorn, he helped design parts for the BBC Micro computer. He also helped start the project that led to the creation of the ARM microprocessor. ARM chips are now in billions of devices, like smartphones.
- Olivetti Research Laboratory: When Acorn was bought by Olivetti in 1985, Sir Andy helped create the Olivetti Research Laboratory. He became its managing director.
- Qudos: In 1985, he also co-founded Qudos, a company that made software for designing computer chips.
- Advanced Telecommunication Modules Ltd (Virata): In 1993, he started Advanced Telecommunication Modules Ltd. This company, later called Virata Corporation, became very successful. It went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange in 1999.
- Other Companies: He also co-founded Telemedia Systems (now IPV), Adaptive Broadband Ltd (ABL), Cambridge Broadband, Ubisense Ltd, and RealVNC. He was chairman of RealVNC until it was sold in 2021. He also helped start Level 5 Networks and TxtEz.
Since 2019, he has been the Chairman of lowRISC Community Interest Company. This company works on open-source hardware, which means its designs are freely available for others to use and improve.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Andy Hopper has received many awards for his work in computer technology:
- He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET). He was also the president of this institution from 2012 to 2013.
- He became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1996. In 2013, his team at RealVNC received the MacRobert Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- In 2006, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected scientific organization. In 2017, he became the treasurer and vice-president of the Royal Society.
- In 2007, he was made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the computer industry.
- He received awards from the Association for Computing Machinery for his contributions to mobile computing and for his Active Badge paper.
- In 2005, he received an Honorary Fellowship from Swansea University.
- In 2021, he was knighted by the Queen for his important work in computer technology. This means he can now be called "Sir."
Personal Life
Sir Andy Hopper married Alison Gail Smith in 1988. She is also a professor at the University of Cambridge. They have two children, William and Merrill.
He loves to fly airplanes and is a qualified pilot. He has flown for over 6,000 hours, including a trip around the world! He even has an airstrip near his house in Cambridge, where he keeps his six-seater Cessna aircraft.
