Date of Birth | Nationality | Residence | Education | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 16, 1938 | American | USA | MIT | Computer Scientist |
Ivan Edward Sutherland is an American computer scientist and Internet pioneer, widely regarded as the father of computer graphics. He is best known for his revolutionary work in the development of the Sketchpad computer program in 1963, which was the first program to enable a user to interact with a graphical interface. He also developed the first virtual reality head-mounted display, the Sword of Damocles, in 1968.
Sutherland was born in 1938 in Hastings, Nebraska. He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1960. He then went on to earn a master's degree in electrical engineering from MIT in 1963.
Sutherland's most famous work was the development of the Sketchpad computer program in 1963. This program was the first to enable a user to interact with a graphical interface. It allowed users to draw shapes on the screen, move them around, and manipulate them in various ways. The program was revolutionary for its time and paved the way for the development of modern computer graphics.
Sutherland also developed the first virtual reality head-mounted display, the Sword of Damocles, in 1968. This device allowed users to view a 3D virtual environment and interact with it using a joystick. This device was the precursor to modern virtual reality headsets.
Sutherland has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Turing Award in 1988, the National Medal of Science in 1990, and the Kyoto Prize in 2012. He is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Utah and a visiting professor at Harvard University.
Ivan Edward Sutherland was born on May 16, 1938 in Hastings, Nebraska. He was the eldest of four children born to parents who were both teachers. He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1960. He then went on to earn a master's degree in electrical engineering from MIT in 1963.
Sutherland married his wife, Marlyne, in 1964. They had two children, a daughter named Kristina and a son named David.
Sutherland began his career at MIT in 1963, where he worked on the development of the Sketchpad computer program. This program was the first to enable a user to interact with a graphical interface. It allowed users to draw shapes on the screen, move them around, and manipulate them in various ways. The program was revolutionary for its time and paved the way for the development of modern computer graphics.
In 1965, Sutherland left MIT to join the faculty at the University of Utah. At Utah, he continued his work on computer graphics and developed the first virtual reality head-mounted display, the Sword of Damocles, in 1968. This device allowed users to view a 3D virtual environment and interact with it using a joystick. This device was the precursor to modern virtual reality headsets.
Sutherland has also served as a professor at Harvard University and a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
Sutherland has had a long and successful career in computer science and has worked with many notable figures in the field. He has collaborated with computer scientist and Internet pioneer J.C.R. Licklider, who was the first director of the Information Processing Techniques Office at the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). He has also worked with computer scientist Alan Kay, who is credited with developing the first object-oriented programming language.
Sutherland is known for his pioneering work in computer graphics and virtual reality. He is often quoted as saying:
"The computer should be a medium for letting us do what we want, not for forcing us to do what it wants."
Sutherland's work has been criticized by some for its lack of focus on the ethical implications of computer technology. He has been accused of not considering the potential for misuse of his technology, such as in the development of military applications.
Sutherland has also been involved in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). He has worked on projects such as the Intelligent Room, which was an AI-powered room that could respond to voice commands.
Sutherland has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Turing Award in 1988, the National Medal of Science in 1990, and the Kyoto Prize in 2012. He is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Utah and a visiting professor at Harvard University.