Federico Faggin: a genius in Piacenza. He is the man who invented microchips and developed touch screens. Tomorrow, Friday 24 May at 9.30 am, Faggin will be at Palazzo Gotico to meet final year high school and technical institute students. The event, entitled “Artificial Intelligence – Fear or enthusiasm?”, is organized by Aif (Association for the teaching of physics) in collaboration with the Municipality of Piacenza.
From Veneto to the United States
Federico Faggin born in Vicenza in 1941; after his high school studies he was hired in the Olivetti electronic research laboratory, contributing to the design and directing the project of a small transistor digital electronic computer. He graduated in Physics at the University of Padua and joined Sgs Fairchild, a general semiconductor company: in 1967 he created the Mos Ic technology with silicon gate (Sgt) which allows the creation of microprocessors, as well as memories and image sensors and which is adopted throughout the world.
Since 1968 Faggin settles in the United States and also takes American citizenship. Two years later he moved to Intel, where he created the random logic design methodology in silicon gate, used to design the first generations of Intel microprocessors. Microchips that still dominate the personal computer market today. In 1986 he became one of the founders of Synaptics, contributing to the mass diffusion of touchpads and touch screens.
Multiple awards
Countless are the prizes and degrees honoris causa of which Federico Faggin was awarded. On 19 October 2010 he received the National Medal for Technology and Innovation from the president of the United States of America, Barack Obamafor the invention of the microprocessor.
Faggin he is the only Italian present at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. In 2011 he founded the Federico and Elvia Faggin Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the scientific study of consciousness through the sponsorship of theoretical and experimental research programs at US universities and research institutes.
In 2019on the initiative of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, Faggin was awarded the highest national honor: the nomination of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. In 2023 he was awarded the Sigillum Magnum of the University, the highest honor of the University of Bologna, and the Montale Prize.
Federico Faggin he is the author of numerous books, among which “Silicio. From the invention of the microprocessor to the new science of awareness” and “Irreducible. Consciousness, life, computers and our nature”. In his books he described a theory of consciousness according to which it is a purely quantum phenomenon, unique to each of us.
Il Mio Giornale.net has only one objective: to provide independent information with a spirit of service. To help readers understand and choose, keeping facts separate from opinions.
