Norman Abramson

Updated: 12/30/2019 by Computer Hope
Norman Abramson

Name: Norman Abramson

Born: April 1, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Computer-related contributions

  • American engineer, computer scientist, and wireless hero.
  • Known for developing the ALOHAnet system for wireless computer communication (the first wireless local area network). ALOHAnet was the first network to transmit data successfully using radio signals — a fundamental technological breakthrough.

Significant publications

  • Computer Communications Network (1973).
  • Information theory and coding (1963).

Honors and awards

  • C&C Prize (2011).
  • IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal (2007).
  • Technology Award from the German Eduard Rhein Foundation (2000).
  • Golden Jubilee Award for Technological Innovation from the IEEE Information Theory Society (1998).
  • IEEE Sixth Region Achievement Award for contributions to Information Theory and Coding (1972).

Quotes

"It was becoming apparent that the existing telephone network architecture was not well suited to the rapidly emerging data networking needs of the 1970s. Indeed, it would have been surprising had such a network architecture, shaped by the requirements of voice communications at the end of the 19th century, been compatible with the emerging requirements of data communication networks at the end of the 20th century."