The Economist’s Innovation Award for Consumer Products and Services given to pioneer Steven Sasson of Eastman Kodak Company for contributions to photography and imaging which have revolutionised the face of consumer photography today.
- The invention of the digital camera began with a 30-second conversation when Mr Sasson’s supervisor asked whether it was possible to build a camera with a new type of electronic sensor called a charge-coupled device.
- Mr Sasson’s original prototype weighed eight pounds, recorded black and white images to a cassette tape, had a resolution of 0.01 megapixel and took 23 seconds to capture its first image. In 1978, Mr Sasson was issued a US patent for the digital camera and Eastman Kodak was the first company to develop a megapixel digital camera in 1986, and one of the first companies to develop a consumer digital camera.
- Come and meet Mr Sasson, inventor of the digital camera, as he accepts an award at The Economist’s Innovation Awards Ceremony in London on October 29th. He will be joined by seven additional 2009 Innovation Award Winners who will also be recognised for turning their innovative ideas into reality. The Innovation Summit will follow the next day at the Dorchester Hotel on October 30th. This unique Awards Ceremony and Summit is the only event of its kind focusing on the interface between innovation and business.
- The Economist’s Eighth Annual Innovation Summit provides an opportunity for delegates to meet the greatest thinkers and doers of this world in an inspirational setting, take away content relevant to their business and hear from the 2009 Innovation Award winners. This year’s line-up of speakers includes: Sachin Duggal, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nivio, a service that provides a PC desktop that can be accessed through any web browser, and Syl Saller, Global Innovation Director, Diageo, who oversees all new product development and launch programmes worldwide, as well as the management of research and development.
- Previous winners in the category of Consumer products and services Innovation include Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, founders of YouTube for their work building multi-media content sharing, and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo for his leading role in shaping the video-game industry.
- Journalists may request interviews and a place at The Economist’s Eighth Annual Innovation Awards Ceremony (29th) at the Science Museum and Summit (30th) at The Dorchester by contacting the press team at Waggener Edstrom on +44 (0)20 7632 3900 or e-mailing ecis@waggeneredstrom.com.
