Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

One of the buildings of the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovoth, Israel. Today, we are likely to think of television substan- tially from an entertainment viewpoint. This, of course, is natural since television is an electronic brother of radio broadcasting. Nevertheless, television has many applications outside the realm of broadcasting. In the field of education .ind instruction, the possi- bilities of television are unlimited. Teachers in the classroom and the lecture hall, in medical centers and surgical operating rooms, will be able to add the power of demonstration to the effort of description. Television Only in Us Infancy Television in the United States has grown in the period of only five years from practically nothing to an industry whose volume of business last year amounted to three billion dollars. Including radio, the industry' as a whole is now running at a rate of about five billion dollars a year. Yet television is only in its infancy. Before many years have passed, its black-and-white images also will be seen in color. Today there are about 18 million television sets in American homes. There are 108 television broadcasting stations serving a potential viewing audience of more than 70 million persons. Within the next five years there will probably be 50 million television receiving sets in the United States and about 1,500 television broadcasting stations with a potential viewing audience of 150 million persons. Every home in the land equipped with a television set will be within range of television programs. We have a striking example of how success is being made toward this goal. Never in the history of the United States were the national political conventions within range of so many people as they were in July of this year. Indeed, Americans had one of the greatest lessons in civics ever put before them on a nationwide scale. Television has revealed itself as one of the most powerful and effective forces that ever came into the political arena. It promises to be a decisive factor in the election results in November. International Television a Prospect Within the next five years we may expect to see television established on an international basis. Inter- national television will become a powerful aid socially, educationally, and politically. If properly used, it can cultivate better understanding among nations and help to reduce the tensions born of misunderstanding. Tele- vision's performance vividly illustrates the old saying that "Seeing is Believing." I firmly believe that before too many years pass. New York, Chicago, San Francisco, in fact all the cities and towns of the United States will be able to tune in the panorama that television will present of Israel and the rest of the Mediterranean world. Similarly, you will be able to view America as the electronic cameras swing from nation to nation. Industrial TV has Hundreds of Applications This is still another type of service known as closed- circuit, or industrial television, also made possible largely by the vidicon tube and a 7-pound miniature camera which can be mounted in normally inaccessible locations. Industrial TV is, in effect, a remote eye for industry. Its hundreds of applications include the observation of dangerous processes as well as transmission of informa- tion such as signatures, maps and files. It has a variety of uses in mass training, in industry and in the military services. Industrial television can add immeasurably to the safety and to the efficiency of workers in business. In still another direction, several years ago our engi- neers entered into a development program for the elec- tronic inspection of medical ampules containing vaccines and other liquids. This work was undertaken to improve inspection methods for insuring the highest degree of purity in drugs. We have also developed and demonstrated to the dair)' industry a portable inspection machine which makes certain that empty bottles are clear of contamina- tion before they are filled with milk. These, and other electronic developments, are adding importantly to the possibilities of improvement in health. Now let us look across another horizon of electronics. Through man's inventive and engineering ingenuity, electronic computers have been made to add, subtract, (Continued on page 31) 6 RADIO AGt