Slides - 2022-11-07, Lecture

The Development of Communication Devices

The 19th century witnessed significant advancements in communication technology, including the development of megaphones.

Physicist Robert Hooke was the first to experiment with the wire and cup telephone method, indicating early explorations into sound transmission.

The earliest telephones emerged as enhancements to the electrical telegraph, with notable contributions from:
- Carl Friedrich Gauss and Wilhelm Eduard Weber: Invented an electromagnetic device for transmitting telegraphic signals.
- Other notable figures involved in the development of electromagnetic transmission include Charles Grafton Page, Innocenzo Manzetti, Charles Bourseul, Antonio Meucci, and Samuel Morse.

Biography: Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) is best known for his invention of the telephone.
Patent: The first patent for the telephone was awarded to Bell.

The first microphones, used from 1870s to 1920s, were originally designed for telephonic communication.
- Called transmitters instead of microphones, these devices converted sound into electrical signals.
- Bell's initial design in April 1876 utilized a carbon rod in sulfuric acid, producing an "undulating current" by altering resistance to a DC voltage.
- A sheepskin diaphragm at the bottom of a funnel vibrated the carbon rod to capture sound.
- Later advancements included a design where a diaphragm pressed a platinum button against a carbon block, enhancing signal clarity.

Developed the "Reis Telephone", further contributing to the evolution of telephony, albeit with limited commercial success.

Alexander Graham Bell: Instrumental in early microphone technology and electric communication.
- His microphone patent featured a wire conducting a direct electrical current, forming the basis for many future designs.
David Edward Hughes: Contributed to microphone innovation.
Emile Berliner: Patented a microphone design that involved a steel ball against a metal diaphragm, enhancing audio fidelity.

Carbon Microphone: Played a crucial role in early telecommunications.
Dynamic Microphone: Utilized electromagnetic induction for sound conversion.
Military Microphone: Specialized designs catered to military communication needs.

Vinyl Records: From 1940, Columbia Records began using polyvinyl chloride for records, revolutionizing audio storage.
Kurt Stille: Modified recording machines in 1900 to employ steel wires for better sound fidelity.
In 1929, flat steel bands replaced the steel wires due to twisting issues in wire systems.

The shift from wire and metal to tape occurred with the introduction of flexible coated tapes, leading to advancements in magnetic recording.
- Initially, paper tapes were used but were eventually replaced by plastic films for improved durability and sound quality.
BASF: Showcased their first tapes and "magnetophon" recorders at the 1935 Berlin Radio Fair, marking a significant milestone in audio recording technology.

The term "avant-garde" originated from military terminology and is now used to describe artists who break away from traditional artistic constraints, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries during Modernism.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): A prominent composer known for innovative works.
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951): Pioneered the concept of atonality and the emancipation of dissonance; known for pieces like "Pierrot Lunaire".
Alban Berg and Anton Webern: Key figures in the development of twelve-tone techniques.

Thaddeus Cahill (1867-1934): Inventor of the Telharmonium, also called the Dynamophone, contributing further to electronic music.
Michael Faraday (1791-1867): An English scientist whose work advanced electromagnetism and played a crucial role in the development of electric communication technologies.
Francesco Balilla Pratella and Luigi Russolo: Futurists who pioneered music composition utilizing acoustic noise, predicting new timbres beyond traditional instruments. They significantly influenced the sound of machinery in music, encapsulated in Russolo's manifesto, "The Art of Noises".

A notable inventor recognized for his contribution towards electronic music and instrument design, exemplified by the Theremin.