Bell Labs Holmdel Complex

Transcription

Discovery it always comes back to discovery. In 1933 Karl Jansky, a bell laboratories scientist, discovered the center of our galaxy. Jansky was working to conquer the problem of shortwave radio noise at the labs in Holmdel, New Jersey. Using a custom-designed antenna he measured the levels of static in the atmosphere. After months of investigation Jansky determined that the hiss he heard came from the center of our Milky Way. Although no one knew it at the time, it was the beginning of a new field of study: Radio astronomy That's the way it's been at Holmdel Then and now. For more than fifty years Holmdel has been the setting for new developments discoveries and application of technology and telecommunications Since 1962 this work has been done in this immense, dynamic building. Twenty years. It seems a fitting time to celebrate; to celebrate the life of Holmdel; to look at Holmdel through the years, because Holmdel now is a reflection of Holmdel then. The experience at Holmdel began in 1929. Initially researchers worked at making shortwave radio a practical means for long-distance communications. In fact the work that Harrald Friss and his colleagues did ultimately changed much of the world's thinking about radio. Holmdel through the thirties was an exciting and highly charged atmosphere as researchers and scientists imaginatively looked for problems to solve, questions to answer. Fundamental work essential to improved communications was pursued at Holmdel. This work continued through the forties and fifties in buildings that for the most part had been built in the thirties. Something had to change. It did. Partially in response to the increasing demands of the telephone business Bell Laboratories decided to construct a major development center in Holmdel. A Bell Labs committee developed criteria that the new building design would have to meet. The unanimous choice was designed by the noted architect, Eero Saarinen. Construction began in 1959. Saarinen's design incorporated Bell Laboratories' requirement and went a few steps further. Based on his research Saarinen decided that the offices and laboratories would use interior building space and be windowless. The size of an individual lab would be flexible, allowing for the most efficient use of space. The common service facilities such as the library, medical, restaurant, computer, and repro- duction services would be centrally located. And the design, four buildings sharing common roof and outside walls, would create a striking center court. Occupancy was scheduled for early 1962. While construction progressed so did research. Holmdel was once again in the news. The first echo balloon test took place on August 12, 1960. it was a total success A very sensitive horn antenna at Crawford Hill, where operations had moved during construction, picked up the message: "This is President Eisenhower speaking," bouncing off the echo satellite Communication via satellite have begun. The building was nearly complete in late '61 the first support staff groups moved to the new Holmdel. Included were the mailroom, stockroom and restaurant staffs. The building began to breath. The stage was set. The move began. In all endeavors there comes a moment of truth. All the planning, research and studies resulted in a stunning new building. A new era had begun at Holmdel. At Crawford hill there was another advancement in satellite communications: Telstar, an active communication satellite, was launched and began to receive, amplify, and retransmit messages. These signals, both voice and data, were received at Crawford Hill from the Andover, Maine ground station. It was a major breakthrough in telecommunications. As business at the Labs got started, so did extracurricular activities. New clubs sprang up as more people moved in. The first softball league began play in June. Work had begun in earnest on the Unicom system and by September a production model of the electronic central office was under construction. A new lab building at Crawford Hill was completed. Everything that year was a first, from Pioneer sales to Radio Club meetings. There were concerts by the Holmdel instrumental group, Christmas choruses, doll & toy nights, and plantings sponsored by the Garden Club. Through the early sixties work progressed in many different areas. A new antenna was developed for space communications. The data communications department developed data phone sets that could transmit printed material from a customer's facsimile machine. The winter of '64 proved to be a memorable one. Holmdel, along with the rest of the area, was snowed in, so much so that many people had to stay overnight. People slept where they could. It was quite a time. Construction began on buildings 3 & 4 in June 1964. Completion was scheduled for mid-1966. The people of Holmdel continued to get involved in a variety of activities. The Flying Club held a barbecue and gave plane rides over the New Jersey coast. The Astronomy Club began building a telescope to observe the rings of Saturn. And for the second year Holmdel employees gave time and energy to tutor area grammar and high school students. The first pay off, so to speak, of the research at Holmdel took place in May 1965. The first electronic switching system was installed in Succasunna, New Jersey. Much of the development work on the number one was done at Holmdel. The late sixties brought an air of change to Holmdel. There was development of new data equipment for NASA; an experimental telephone system for use on high-speed trains; a battery-operated line-less extension phone; and a picture phone trial between Holmdel, Murray Hill, and AT&T. Activities reflected the times. The Pioneers filled ditty bags for the boys in Vietnam, and folk singers played guitar in the atrium. There were blood-mobile drives, the garden club's annual flower show, the model railroad club's competition and the first arts and crafts show. It was increasing emphasis on the social issues that faced us all. There was more work being done in the community. As always the geese returned in the spring, as did walks on the nature trail. softball, and something new - jogging. During this period there were developments that helped the Bell System do its job more efficiently. The first TSPS switchboard was installed at Holmdel in 1969. And the dial-a-test system made it easier for operating companies to repair pay phones. There was the development of the transaction telephone for business customers to check credit cards in seconds. As the Seventies began, the people of Holmdel involved themselves in more diverse activities. Ski clubs, road rallies, bicycle clubs, golf tournaments. There were speakers who spoke about racial issues, women's issues, education and the arts. Through this time the research in Holmdel brought new products and services for the Bell System. There was the development of an improved mobile phone system; the combination of computer software, integrated circuit design, and systems engineering research resulted in the RMAT system, designed to troubleshoot and repair dimension PBXes. In 1978 a major event took place. Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson won the Nobel Prize in Physics. Their work, studying cosmic radiation, proved The Big Bang Theory. Working in their Crawford Hill lab they were continuing the research tradition that was the watermark of Holmdel in the thirties. The pioneers were also active in the late seventies. They designed Braille books, tested preschoolers for hearing dysfunction. There were classical music concerts, square dances and a computer chess tournament. In 1979 after months of study Bell Laboratories decided to expand the Holmdel laboratory. Ground was broken in July for the east and west wings. The extensions would maintain the architectural integrity of the building. Technical organizations at Holmdel we're expanding. Lab and office space was scarce. So over the next two years several satellite labs were opened. The first was West Long Branch, followed by South Plainfield, Freehold, and Neptune. Later in 1980 another satellite lab opened in Lincroft The watchwords for the '80s were competition and deregulation. Bell Laboratories entered the decade clearly on the leading edge of telecommunications research. There was the development of a high-speed integrated circuit, the digital signal processor. Work was done to develop telemarketing software and improvements were made on the unmanned cable submarine SCARAB. As changes in technology developed Holmdel added some new blossoms. there were innovative art shows, bigger model railroad layouts, and with Holmdel's multinational population celebrations of national heritage. The Pioneers took to the local cable TV airwaves to talk about their work. It seemed that everyone was jogging or exercising. Through all of this construction continued. {music} Slowly the additions began to take shape. The expanded Holmdel is now nearly complete. The adventure is twenty years young. It has been an incredible time with more yet to come. The next few years could be the most interesting in Holmdel's history. Cafeteria conversation speculate about what may be ahead It's not polite to eavesdrop - so here's a look at the new cafeteria and conference center. There will be changes ahead, but regardless of what the future may hold Holmdel will continue to do what it has always done: Thrive, change, challenge and achieve. Imagination and curiosity. These words define the experience at Holmdel, from the time Harald Friss and his colleagues charted the course of radio telephony to now, as president Ian Ross guides the labs from his Holmdel office. Imagination and curiosity have been the guidelines of research. This, fused with a sense of belonging and caring, has produced a truly human experience. We look forward to the coming years with excitement and confidence, knowing where we've been, knowing what we've accomplished allows us to set our sights high, assured of success. The next 20 years are beginning now. It is there to discover. It always comes back to discovery.