IEEE Celebrates 2009 Nobel Prize Winners

IEEE life members awarded for work with digital photography and helping link
the world through fiber-optic networks

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- IEEE, the world's largest technical
professional association, is proud to congratulate three of its Life Fellows -
Dr. Charles K. Kao, Dr. Willard S. Boyle and Dr. George E. Smith - as
recipients of the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics. Recognized for breakthroughs
involving the transmission of light in fiber optics and inventing an imaging
semiconductor circuit, the three scientists created the technology behind
digital photography and helped link the world through fiber-optic networks.

"As a physicist myself, I am especially proud that these three members of IEEE
have been honored with the Nobel Prize in physics," said IEEE President John
Vig. "On behalf of our members around the globe, I congratulate these
innovators for being recognized for advancing technology that has benefitted
humanity."

Acknowledged for his 1966 discovery that showed how to transmit light over
long distances via optical glass fibers, Dr. Kao helped build the framework
for modern broadband communication networks that carry today's high-speed
Internet data and phone calls around the world.

Working together, Dr. Boyle and Dr. Smith invented the first imaging
technology using a digital sensor, a charged-coupled device (CCD). CCD
technology has revolutionized photography so that light could be captured
electronically (in the form of pixels) instead of on film. "The inspiration
of Willard Boyle and George Smith transformed an industry," said Dr. Gordon
Day, President of IEEE-USA. "Replacing film with electronic devices made
photography faster and cheaper, and digital imaging has led to great advances
in the processing and distribution of images."

The IEEE, known as an organization that brings the best minds in science and
technology together to benefit mankind is home to more than 19 Nobel Prize
winners, ranging from Guglielmo Marconi's 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics in
recognition of his contribution to the development of wireless telegraphy to
Paul C. Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield's 2003 Nobel Prize in Medicine for
their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging.

To learn more about IEEE, please contact ieee-PR@ruderfinn.com.

About IEEE
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.), the world's
largest technical professional society, is commemorating its 125th anniversary
in 2009 by "Celebrating 125 Years of Engineering the Future" around the globe.
Through its more than 375,000 members in 160 countries, IEEE is a leading
authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers
and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer
electronics. Dedicated to the advancement of technology, IEEE publishes 30
percent of the world's literature in the electrical and electronics
engineering and computer science fields, and has developed nearly 900 active
industry standards. The organization annually sponsors more than 850
conferences worldwide. Additional information about IEEE can be found at
http://www.ieee.org.

SOURCE IEEE

Adrienne McGarr of Ruder Finn, +1-312-329-3907, mcgarra@ruderfinn.com, for
IEEE; or Francine Tardo of IEEE, +1-732-465-5865, f.tardo@ieee.org