World + Tech
Maxwell's Equations
In 1865, James Clerk Maxwell published the "second greatest unification in physics" since Newton.
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
The First Laser
Theodore Maiman built the first working laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
The Invention of the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell sent the first voice message over a telegraph wire in 1876.Learn More
World + Tech
The Modern Lightbulb
Thomas Edison (the man with 1093 patents) demonstrated the first practical lightbulb in 1879.
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
Radio Waves are Real!
In 1886, radio waves were transmitted and received for the first time by Heinrich Hertz.
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
The World's Smallest Computer
The Michigan Micro Mote is a fully autonomous computing system that acts as a smart sensing system. Learn More
World + Tech
The First All-Electronic Computer
The Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer was the first large-scale computer to run at electronic speed.Learn More
World + Tech
HP + Silicon Valley
Bill Hewlett and David Packard finalized their partnership in January 1939 after supplying oscillators to Disney.Learn More
World + Tech
The Invention of LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK surgery came about thanks to ultrafast femtosecond lasers, the direct result of Michigan research.Learn More
World + Tech
Human Computers
“Human computers” were often utilized in order to solve mathematical problems and process data.Learn More
World + Tech
The First Terahertz Tech in Space
The NASA Center for Space Terahertz Technology pioneered the development of Terahertz antenna arrays.Learn More
World + Tech
The Radio is Invented
In 1896, at the age of 22, Guglielmo Marconi first demonstrated wireless transmission by radio.Learn More
World + Tech
The Early History of Microprocessing
ECE alum Lee Boysel and his team created the first single-chip CPU microprocessor.
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
Birth of Modern Holography
Leith made holography a reality, stunning the world with his holographic train in 1964.Learn More
World + Tech
Michigan's First Materials Center
Center for Photonic and Multiscale Nanomaterials focuses on controlling light interactions with matter.Read More
World + Tech
Sponsored Research to the Midwest
Dept. Chair William Gould Dow first brought industry- and government-sponsored research to U-M.Read More
World + Tech
First in Quantum Dots
Bhattacharya was instrumental in early understanding of the tiny semiconductor particles.Read More
World + Tech
First in Wireless Integrated Systems
The first Research Center in Wireless Integrated Microsensing and Systems forged advances in many fields.Learn More
World + Tech
IEEE Formed from AIEE and IRE
In 1963, two organizations merged to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE.Learn More
World + Tech
The Transistor
John Bardeen, William Shockley and Walter Brattain invented the transistor in 1947.See How They Work
World + Tech
The Michigan Probe
Extremely accurate probes use a variety of technologies to make mapping the brain with light possible.
Learn More
Learn More
World + Tech
NASA Is Formed
Department Chair William Gould Dow was a charter member of the group responsible for its founding.Learn More