Yet Another Guest Blogger Signs In

As guest blogger here for the next two weeks, I'm going to introduce myself mostly by using the word “former.” I am a former science-fiction writer and editor, former publisher of little magazines, former instructor of computer graphics, former computer programmer and author of computer books, and former senior writer at Wired magazine. These days I design and build prototypes of quasi-medical equipment to induce rapid cooling after cardiac arrest, am writing an introduction to electronics, and am a section editor for Make magazine. I'm serious about photography and I love exploring the western states.

I have a wide range of obsessional interests, which will color my blog entries. Some will be “lite” while others may be opinionated.

I'll start lite.

The Motorola Museum: 1

The headquarters of Motorola in Schaumburg, Illinois contains a museum where the company's innovative history is illustrated with beautiful presentations of past products. I visited the museum about 10 years ago. I’m not sure of its current status.

My favorite exhibits showcase the golden age of radio, when vacuum tubes still ruled—although their power consumption required substantial lead-acid batteries in portable equipment, making it heavy and bulky as a result.

No sign of a headphone jack for the Motorola sports radio; perhaps your companions would be so enthralled by the magic of portable game commentary, they'd be happy to put up with the noise.

[#1 posted by jjasper , January 26, 2009 1:58 PM]

http://www.boingboing.net/images/pic-01-plattblog_sport_radio.jpg isn't coming through. No such image.

[#2 posted by shutz , January 26, 2009 2:08 PM]

I'm a wannabe/future science fiction writer. Could you tell us how you became a former science fiction writer?

My previous attempts at moving from wannabe to actual SF writer have yet to work, so I thought I'd attempt a different angle of attack on the problem and try to become a former SF writer, and work my way backwards.

I will welcome any insights you can provide.

[#3 posted by sylkworm , January 26, 2009 2:13 PM]

As an ex-Motorolan-intern, we actually had to watch a whole show about Motorola history. My favorite was the failed-products high-light, which included a gas-powered pocket-sized personal radio.

[#4 posted by Tom Hale , January 26, 2009 2:20 PM]

I'm really interested in the studies about rapid cooling after cardiac arrest. Here's a pdf, Resuscitation after cardiac arrest: A 3-phase time-sensitive model, That talks about it a bit.

Here's an article from Newsweek that talks about a study that shows that when cells are cut off from their blood supply, they continue to live for hours. Its when an attempt to recirculate and re oxygenate the cells through CPR that they actually die. To Treat the Dead.

I'd be really interested in any other info you may have on the subject.

[#5 posted by Hagerstrom , January 26, 2009 2:42 PM]

Small portable radios didn't require lead acid batteries, but the vacuum tube circuits did need two types of batteries. The battery was a 6.3 volt dry cell that powered the A circuit to heat the cathode to produce electrons. The B+ circuit was a 90 volt battery which made the anode attractive to the electrons streaming off the heated cathode.

You can imagine what a revolution transistors brought to portable electronics.

[#6 posted by Charles Platt , January 26, 2009 2:47 PM]

To Tom Hale, re rapid cooling after cardiac arrest, here are some links, some of which are not exactly what you want but may be interesting anyway:

http://www.depressedmetabolism.com/2008/07/10/critical-cooling-rate-to-prevent-ischemic-brain-injury/

http://knol.google.com/k/charles-platt/cryonics/3nh7dy2lqw6dy/2#

http://www.benbest.com/cryonics/IR_Simple.html

[#7 posted by jeda21 , January 26, 2009 2:47 PM]

Welcome and you had me at: "I have a wide range of obsessional interests, which will color my blog entries."

I hope that's a promise ;o)

[#8 posted by arkizzle , January 26, 2009 3:36 PM]

Shutz

1. Wannabe SciFi Writer
2. ???
3. Former SciFi Writer

Just increment your current step: ++

[#9 posted by noelrap , January 26, 2009 6:48 PM]

As of a couple of years ago, when I started working there, the Museum had been kind of broken up, the space was replaced by a kind of vague "innovation center", which I remember as a bland look at current Motorola stuff.

The exhibits in the Museum were mostly still on display, but spread throughout the building instead of all in one place.

It was a shame to break it up -- it really was nicely done.

[#10 posted by eustace , January 26, 2009 7:01 PM]

...but a few years from now, when I visited via time machine, they had reassembled the collection for display. So no worries there, mate.

[#11 posted by jackgreg , January 26, 2009 7:25 PM]

Too heavy, baby, way too heavy. Far out.

[#12 posted by Anonymous , January 26, 2009 8:33 PM]

I was there a couple of weeks ago. The display's you pictured have not changed.