Description
Douglas Carl Engelbart (January 30, 1925 – July 2, 2013), an engineer and inventor, was one of the key figures in the history of computer technology development. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Oregon and received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1955.
Engelbart believed that computers should not only serve to automate tasks, but above all, to help people solve complex problems more easily. His vision of making the world a better place was based on the concept of collective intelligence and the improvement of human capabilities through computer technology. While conducting research in the field of computer science and developing technologies and concepts of human-computer interaction at the Stanford University Research Institute in California, he and his collaborators developed the user-friendly “oN-Line System“ (NLS), and he also participated in the development of the computer network “ARPANET”, a national network for connecting scientific researchers, which was the basis for the emergence of the Internet.
He will be remembered in the history of computer science for his demonstration on December 9, 1968, later called the “Mother of All Demos”, which, in addition to the prototype of the computer mouse, also demonstrated for the first time in the history of computer science an interactive interface with structural links, working in multiple text panels on the same screen (the precursor to “windows”), as well as video calls and online communication in real time – today the basic elements of everyday computer use.
For his visionary work and ideas that paved the way for the digital age, Douglas Engelbart, a computer scientist pioneer and inventor, was awarded the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1994.
Professional cooperation: Saša Šepec, Museum of Science and Technology, Belgrade
Artistic realisation of the issue: MA Marija Vlahovic, academic graphic artist
