Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Schmitt trigger history — Parallax Forums

Schmitt trigger history

john_sjohn_s Posts: 369
edited 2015-02-26 16:55 in General Discussion
"I stumbled upon some math today …" and found it quite amusing :)

https://mathscinotes.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/schmitt-trigger-design-math/

Read also about its brilliant inventor in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Schmitt

Comments

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2015-02-25 11:18
    john_s,

    Oh my God. Thank you for that. There really was a Schmitt. I always imagined that name belonged to some guy from the 1800's. But no, he was still with us until 1998.

    Not only that but he:

    Established the field of biomedical engineering.

    Coined the term biomimetics.

    Invented the cathode follower.

    Invented the differential amplifier.

    Invented the chopper-stabilized amplifier.

    Kind of put's all the young dudes on YouTube with their latest and greatest JavaScript endeavours in perspective.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2015-02-26 06:29
    Pure maths and analog electronics always seem to have had a better synergy than pure maths and digital electronics. Schmitt was one of those guys that put that conceptual synergy to good use. It looks like he had a lot of fun doing so, too... still smiling in his old age.

    Those were the days when an industrials would just ask an old foggie to come up with a doodad for them, and he would. Not long after, the whole world would be using it and give it a name... like Schmitt Trigger.
  • john_sjohn_s Posts: 369
    edited 2015-02-26 16:55
    I couldn't be happier when I first applied his invention (a.k.a. Schmitt trigger) in pure transistor format in 1972.
    However, I didn't know a bit about the man behind it until a week ago. And now he's one of my heroes for sure...
Sign In or Register to comment.