Joseph Gerber
Heinz Joseph Gerber (17 April 1924 – 8 August 1996) was an American inventor and businessman. An Austrian-born Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrated in 1940, he pioneered computer-automated manufacturing systems for an array of industries. Described as the "Thomas Edison of manufacturing", he was one of the first to recognize and develop the productivity-enhancing potential for computer automation in skill-intensive industrial sectors.
Joseph Gerber | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 April 1924 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 8 August 1996 (aged 72) Hartford, Connecticut, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Occupation | Manufacturing automation systems |
| Spouse | Sonia Kanciper Gerber (1929–2003) (m. 1954–1996) |
| Awards | National Medal of Technology (1994) |
His work in this field grew from his early developments of graphical-numerical computing devices, data-reduction tools, and plotters.
He was awarded America's National Medal of Technology, the country's highest recognition in technology and innovation, in 1994, for his "technical leadership in the invention, development and commercialization of manufacturing automation systems for a wide variety of industries." These industries ranged from automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, clothing, and consumer electronics, to printing, sign making, cobbling, cartography, and lens crafting, among others.