You could say that Martin Cooper, a technician working at Motorola, was the first person to successfully make a wireless telephone prototype. In the early 1970s, when Cooper's innovation had not materialized, the world was not yet familiar with cell phones that could be used anywhere as they are today.
In fact, AT&T's research division, Bell Laboratories, had already created the concept of cellular communication in 1947. However, the concept was held back due to competition from Motorola in the 60s and 70s to actually make portable products.
At Motorola, Martin Cooper and designer, Rudy Krolopp were not to be outdone. They worked on a "shoe" telephone project using many existing electronic patents. They are trying to make a prototype of the first wireless phone.
Finally, an innovation materialized. The first wireless phone was successfully made. Cooper named it Motorola DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage). The phone is 9 inches tall, weighs 2.5 pounds, with 30 circuit boards. With the cell phone, people can make calls for 35 minutes with a recharging time requirement of ten hours.
After setting up a mobile base station in New York, Martin Cooper, on this day, April 3, 47 years ago or in 1973, he made his first call to Joel Engel, head of research at the Bell Lab. DynaTAC was made by Cooper and his team within three months. The time is relatively short, considering that Cooper needed thousands of parts to build the cellphone.
"I made a lot of calls, including when I crossed the street while talking to a New York radio reporter. Probably one of the most dangerous things I've ever done in my life," Cooper was quoted as saying by Wired .
After that, Motorola spent another ten years perfecting the technology and dealing with regulations. Commercial service only started in 1983. The DynaTAC device was reduced again so that the weight was reduced by 16 ounces.
At that time, the first mobile phone was priced at US $ 3,500 -- equivalent to US $ 21,162 this year. But, that was 1990, before cell phone service reached one million subscribers in the US.
Motorola DynaTAC obtained patent number 3906166 under the title “Radio Telephone System.” While Time Magazine , in 2007 crowned Cooper's creation as the best invention. In 2013, Cooper received the Charles Stark Draper Prize from the National Academy of Engineering.
Click this picture for more
In fact, AT&T's research division, Bell Laboratories, had already created the concept of cellular communication in 1947. However, the concept was held back due to competition from Motorola in the 60s and 70s to actually make portable products.
At Motorola, Martin Cooper and designer, Rudy Krolopp were not to be outdone. They worked on a "shoe" telephone project using many existing electronic patents. They are trying to make a prototype of the first wireless phone.
Finally, an innovation materialized. The first wireless phone was successfully made. Cooper named it Motorola DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage). The phone is 9 inches tall, weighs 2.5 pounds, with 30 circuit boards. With the cell phone, people can make calls for 35 minutes with a recharging time requirement of ten hours.
After setting up a mobile base station in New York, Martin Cooper, on this day, April 3, 47 years ago or in 1973, he made his first call to Joel Engel, head of research at the Bell Lab. DynaTAC was made by Cooper and his team within three months. The time is relatively short, considering that Cooper needed thousands of parts to build the cellphone.
"I made a lot of calls, including when I crossed the street while talking to a New York radio reporter. Probably one of the most dangerous things I've ever done in my life," Cooper was quoted as saying by Wired .
After that, Motorola spent another ten years perfecting the technology and dealing with regulations. Commercial service only started in 1983. The DynaTAC device was reduced again so that the weight was reduced by 16 ounces.
At that time, the first mobile phone was priced at US $ 3,500 -- equivalent to US $ 21,162 this year. But, that was 1990, before cell phone service reached one million subscribers in the US.
Motorola DynaTAC obtained patent number 3906166 under the title “Radio Telephone System.” While Time Magazine , in 2007 crowned Cooper's creation as the best invention. In 2013, Cooper received the Charles Stark Draper Prize from the National Academy of Engineering.
