%0 years old
I did not realize fiber optic cable was that old, happy 50th!
Happy 50th birthday, optical fibres for telecoms
One of the seminal developments in modern telecommunications turns 50 years old this month: the paper that bootstrapped the world of optical fibre communications. With this publication in the July 1966 issue of Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (now the IET), Charles Kao upended then-current research into …
-
Monday 18th July 2016 05:37 GMT Clive Harris
Institution of Electrical Engineers
<<Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (now the IEEE)>>
Incorrect. The (UK-based) Institution of Electrical Engineers is not now the IEEE. It is now the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology).
The (American) IEEE is an entirely different organisation. (And a lot easier to join, from what I hear)
Clive (C.Eng MIET)
-
Monday 18th July 2016 07:10 GMT Phil O'Sophical
Re: Institution of Electrical Engineers
(And a lot easier to join, from what I hear)
Sort-of. The membership grades don't align, IEEE Member grade just needs a cheque and a photocopy of a degree certificate, a bit like IET Associate Member. The IET Member grade is equivalent to IEEE Senior Member, with a requirement for experience and responsibility. MIET shouldn't be considered as equal to MIEEE.
-
Monday 18th July 2016 07:55 GMT Clive Harris
Re: Institution of Electrical Engineers
A number of years back, my (American) boss decided he wanted to add an "MIEE" (as it was called then) to his collection of memberships, and asked me to fix it for him. I had to explain to him that it wasn't that simple, and the size of your chequebook wasn't the deciding factor. Fortunately, it turned out that he did have the required qualifications so, after a lengthy process involving me finding three more members to sponsor him, and a lot of paperwork, we eventually got him in.
Now it looks like I'm likely to lose my membership soon because of this confounded CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirement they've just introduced. When I'm living in rural Australia, how am I supposed to satisfy a London-based organisation that I'm doing at least 30 hours of approved training every year.? Of course I'm continually educating myself to keep up to date with the latest technology, but proving it to their satisfaction is another matter. I'm seriously wondering if it's worth the effort, just to get a few letters after my name (which I never use), an a magazine every couple of months. Anyone else in my situation facing the same problem?
-
-
Monday 18th July 2016 17:40 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Institution of Electrical Engineers
"Now it looks like I'm likely to lose my membership soon because of this confounded CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirement"
...
"Anyone else in my situation facing the same problem?"
My father had the same problem as an architect, and on top of that, extra bits of insurance became mandatory. He was past retirement age anyway so reluctantly cancelled his membership.
-
-
-
-
-
Monday 18th July 2016 05:51 GMT allthecoolshortnamesweretaken
I've had lots of brilliant ideas* looking into glasses in the past, and I'm also 50 this year...
But seriously, what Kao and his colleagues came up with is absolutely top notch engineering / boffinry, and it's nice to see that this is appreciated, awarded and put to good use.
*Well, they seemed brilliant at the time.
-
Monday 18th July 2016 11:08 GMT Code For Broke
Corning
Once, while driving through Corning, New York, I was very excited to take break and visit the museum there. Of particular interest to me at the time was seeing some fiber optic history in the flesh.
Sadly, 2/3 of the museum is dedicated to glass baubles and objet d'art. The science room (kinda a big open room mind you) had a pretty excellent example a mirror from a telescope, and a lot of examples of automotive safety glass. I recall few or no examples of any of the fiber optic or tablet glass products that have kept Corning relevant that past 15 years.
-
Tuesday 19th July 2016 10:56 GMT cray74
Re: Corning
I recall few or no examples of any of the fiber optic or tablet glass products that have kept Corning relevant that past 15 years.
Schedule your viewing of the Corning Glass Museum's fiber optics demo today. ;)
As for the baubles and object d'art, as a materials engineer I found them fascinating exercises in ceramics design and construction. The techniques and skill involved in making, say, a 30-centimeter glass globe of Earth (7 different layers of etched and carved cameo glass) are relevant for laminated, custom-shaped glass structures.
-
Biting the hand that feeds IT
