Steven J. Sasson (born July 4, 1950) is an American electrical engineer and the inventor of the digital camera. Sasson is a 1972 (BS) and 1973 (MS) graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in electrical engineering.
The First Digital Camera
Steven Sasson invented the first digital camera at Eastman Kodak in 1975. It weighed 8 pounds (3.6 kg) and had only 0.01 megapixels. The image was recorded onto a cassette tape and this process took 23 seconds. His camera took images in black and white As he set out on this project of the electronic camera, what he visioned for the future was a camera without mechanical moving parts.
Life and career
Sasson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Ragnhild Tomine (Endresen) and John Vincent Sasson. His mother was Norwegian.His invention began in 1975 with a broad assignment from his supervisor at Eastman Kodak Company, Gareth A. Lloyd: to attempt to build an electronic camera using a charge coupled device (CCD).The resulting camera invention was awarded U.S. Patent 4,131,919. Sasson now works to protect the intellectual capital of his employer, Eastman Kodak Company.Leica Camera AG honored Sasson by giving him the 4th mill a limited edition 18-megapixel Leica M9 Titanium at Photokina 2009.
On November 17, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama awarded Sasson the National Medal of Technology and Innovation at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.This is the highest honor awarded by the US government to scientists, engineers, and inventors.On 6 September 2012 The Royal Photographic Society awarded Sasson its Progress medal and Honorary Fellowship in recognition of any invention, research, publication or other contribution that has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or imaging in the widest sense.
On November 17, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama awarded Sasson the National Medal of Technology and Innovation at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.This is the highest honor awarded by the US government to scientists, engineers, and inventors.On 6 September 2012 The Royal Photographic Society awarded Sasson its Progress medal and Honorary Fellowship in recognition of any invention, research, publication or other contribution that has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or imaging in the widest sense.
