HISTELCON 2019 has ended but this website is maintained as a record of this successful event.

Welcome

HISTELCON (HISTory of ELectrotechnology CONference) is a flagship biennial-conference of the IEEE Region 8 and this was the 6th event to take place. HISTELCON 2019 took place in the IEEE UK and Ireland Section, in Glasgow, Scotland.

The primary theme was ‘historic computers’ with an aim to include papers on those inventions and developments which have not already been the subject of extensive historical publications, and to include the contribution special purpose processors have made to the development and use of advanced digital signal processing methods in many applications areas. Sessions also covered other aspects of technology history in the electrical, electronic and related fields.

In accordance with the traditions of previous HISTELCONs, the conference invited keynote lectures as well as submitted, reviewed contributions. Among the computer topics included the history of the F100L and the Viper microprocessor, the Mascot real-time software design method, the Transputer, the ARM computer designs, and the impact of digital signal processing microprocessors including the TMS 320 for the implementation of very sophisticated signal processing algorithms.

Conference Chair

Prof Anthony Davies

Programme Chair

Prof Marwan Al-Akaidi

Local Chair

Dr James Irvine

Programme

18th September (Day 1)

09:00 - 09:45 | Conference Registration, level 9 of TIC with refreshments

09:45 | Conference opens

09:55 - 10:25 | Keynote 1: Early Studies on the Standardisation of Unit of Electrical Resistance (the Ohm) - Peter Grant (University of Edinburgh)

10:25 | Session W1

10:30-10:55 | The Key role of Giovanni Giorgi in Developing the MKSA System of Units - Stefano Selleri, Stefano Maddio, Giuseppe Pelosi, Fabrizio Frezza (Italy)

11:00-11:25 | Pioneering work on low power low voltage CMOS technology and design performed in Switzerland, 1966 – 1980 - Hugo Wyss (Switzerland)

11:25-11:45 | Short break

11:45-12:10 | Recent Outcomes of the Investigations on Guglielmo Marconi's Supposed Experiments in Switzerland - Stefano Selleri and Giuseppe Pelosi (Italy)

12:10-12:30 | Overview of the IEEE History Milestone Scheme with examples - Antonio Savini, IEEE History Committee member and University of Pavia (Italy)

12:30-14:00 | Lunch

14:00 - 14:35 | Keynote 2: DSP is also hardware - Gene Frantz (Rice University, Houston Texas. USA, formerly Texas Instruments Principal Fellow)

14:35 | Session W2

14:40-15:05 | The VIPER Microprocessor - Clive Pygott (UK)

15:10-15:35 | F100-L - Ferranti's innovative 16-bit microprocessor - Ed Spittles and Richard Evans (UK)

15:35-16:10 | Short break

16:15-16:40 | The Evolution of Digital Signal Processors - Dogan Ibrahim (Turkey) and Anthony Davies (UK)

16:45-17:10 | History of Pocket Computers 1980-2000 - Roland Saam (UK)

17:15-17:20 | Round up discussion and general announcements

18:00 | Social event at Glasgow City Chambers hosted by Bailie Dr Martin Bartos on behalf of the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Eva Bolinder

19th September (Day 2)

09:30 | Conference opens with refreshments

10:00 - 10:35 | Keynote 3: Early Ferranti computers and UK defence applications including GCHQ - Simon Lavington (Computer Historian, Emeritus Professor, Essex University)

10:35 | Session TH1A

10:45-11:10 | Early Israeli Computers - Jacob Baal-Shem (Israel) – presented by Mike Geselowitz

11:15-11:40 | Czechoslovak Computer School - Petr Golan, Marcela Efmertová and Tomáš Konečný (Czech Republic)

11:40-12:00 | Short break

12:05-12:30 | History of Computer for Digital Real-Time Simulator of Power Systems - Hiroshi Suzuki and Hisao Taoka (Japan)

10:35 | Session TH2A

10:45-11:10 | A Brief History of Fault Location in Transmission Lines - Luis de Andrade (Portugal)

11:15-11:40 | Computations Before Computers: Vladimir Karapetoff’s Kinematic Computing Devices - Valery Shilov and Sergey Silantiev (Russia)

11:40-12:00 | Short break

12:05-12:30 | Tinkerers Ever to Chance: Engineers, Computers, and the Rise of Probablistic Thinking - Michael Geselowitz (USA)

12:30-12:50 | In Recognition of Centenary of formation of WES: "The untold story of some amazing women in computing" - Carol Marsh and Nina Baker

12:50-14:10 | Lunch

14:15 - 14:40 | Keynote 4: The Early Days of Medical Ultrasound Imaging with Particular Reference to Developments in Glasgow - Tony Whittingham (retired, a former President of the British Medical Ultrasound Society [BMUS])

14:45 | Session TH2C

14:45-15:10 | History of Morita's Development of Computer Control Mechanism for Fire Ladder Trucks - Shuji Seki, Naohisa Sakamoto, Akihisa Yamada and Isao Shirakawa (Japan))

15:15-15:40 | How Interactive Video Games Helped Shape the Modern Computer World - Mark Baer and Jason Hui (USA)

15:40-16:15 | Short break

16:20 | Session TH2E

16:20-16:45 | Harry Huskey and the Bendix G-15: A Student's Perspective - Ed Owen (USA)

16:50-17:15 | Claude Shannon's Personal Computer - Alexander Magoun (USA)

17:15-17:30 | Round up discussion, votes of thanks and general announcements

17:30 | Close of HISTELCON 2019

Free Social/networking with light refreshments with the incoming attendees of WESYP2019 in the cafe on level 2 of the TIC building (the street entrance level)

Keynote Speakers

Peter M. Grant with John S Thompson (University of Edinburgh) about the work done for the standardisation of the unit of electrical resistance (the Ohm), following the committee set up for that purpose in 1861 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science. This lecture will follow the unveiling ceremony of an IEEE Milestone Plaque to recognise this work, which will take place at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow on 17th September 2019.

Prof Gene Frantz - DSP is also hardware. This keynote is about the birth and early childhood of the Digital Signal Processor. Gene Frantz is Professor in the Practice at Rice University and Chief Technical Officer at Octavo Systems, LLC. Prior to his positions at Rice and Octavo Systems, he was TI’s Principal Fellow and is a recognized leader in DSP technology both within TI and throughout the industry.
Gene Frantz is a Fellow of the IEEE, holds 50 patents in the area of memories, speech, consumer products and DSP, has written more than 100 Papers and articles.

Keynote Speakers

Simon Lavington (computer historian, emeritus Professor of Computer Science at Essex University): Early Ferranti Computers and UK Defence Applications, with particular focus on GCHQ Cheltenham.

Tony Whittingham - The early days of medical ultrasound imaging with particular reference to developments in Glasgow
Tony Whittingham is retired and a former President of the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS).