Black innovators have a long and extensive history of making significant contributions to advances in the fields of AI, robotics, and technology. Despite facing obstacles such as discrimination and limited access to resources, these pioneers have played an important role in shaping the world today. Here, we'd like to take a closer look at some of the key contributors who have played key roles in taking Starship into the future.
Dr. Gladys West
Dr. Gladys West is one of the most notable Black female innovators in technology, revolutionizing the way we interact with the world, including both humans and robots. Her research changed the landscape of mapping technology and contributed to the invention of the Global Positioning System, commonly known as GPS. She published her paper titled “Data Processing System Specification for the Geosat Satellite Radar Altimeter'' (1986), documenting calculations for performing highly accurate localization using data collected from satellites. Did. Just like you and I use her GPS on our phones and computers, our robots can use this same technology to gather information about where to correctly deliver each order. So when you see this little robot traveling to deliver a hot meal, or showing up at the exact location you entered every time, you know who to thank.
Dr. Mark Dean
Dr. Mark Dean, a computer scientist and engineer, worked with the team as IBM's chief engineer in the early 1980s and went on to lead the team that created the first IBM PC, developed the color monitor, and developed the first gigahertz. led. processor. This chip was built just before the new millennium and allows for faster processing speeds within PCs. But how does it affect us and robots? Have you ever looked up something or tried to load a page and it felt like it was taking forever? Early in the morning, in a hurry? What if the app freezes when you try to order coffee before class? The phone/computer's processor clock speed determines how quickly the central processing unit (CPU) can retrieve and interpret instructions. This allows your device to complete more tasks faster. Like mobile phones and computers, our ever-adapting robots can complete more deliveries by getting each order into customers' hands faster. Therefore, every road that people cross and every corner they turn would not have been possible without the invention of gigahertz processors and the contribution of gigahertz processors to the ever-evolving developments that have brought them to where they are today.
garrett morgan
Our robots pass 140,000 intersections every day, and without Garrett Morgan and his development of the 3-position traffic light, we wouldn't be able to pass a single one. Morgan was not only a successful businessman and inventor, but he was also one of the first BIPoCs to own a car in the city of Cleveland in the early 1900s, when all forms of transportation appeared on the streets at one time. There was also. Morgan witnessed horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and trams all meeting on the same road, causing confusion and inevitably many accidents. With his invention of the three-position traffic light, he was able to eradicate a major problem of road safety that we take for granted today. And now our robots can traverse any road and safely deliver food to your door.
Roy Clay Sr.
In changing the history of technology and the reality we live in today, it's not for nothing that he's earned the nickname the Godfather of Silicon Valley. Roy Clay Sr. was an early leader and leader in the technology industry, writing code and working on computing languages long before Python or Javascript were even thought of. Without Clay, we would be living in a world where computers take up entire rooms and crash frequently. However, due to his outstanding ability in software development, Clay and his team brought his one of the first computers to market in 1966, which not only reduced the size of computers but also increased their reliability. Northern California (aka Silicon Valley, home of Starship). Silicon As CEO of Rod-L Electronics, one of the Valley's first start-ups, Roy Clay Sr. not only provided each individual with a powerful and important tool, but also positioned himself as a world leader. I was positioned as a person of interest. A tech startup that many companies, including Starship, look to for inspiration.
Clarence “Skip” Ellis
Here at Starship, one of our guiding values is “We work as one team.” None of this would have been possible without Clarence Ellis, as her 500-plus employees in five countries work in vastly different time zones. As pioneers in the field of business transformation, our teams are able to work in collaborative systems built on Ellis designs through computer applications such as Apache Wave and Google Doc. This system is now used in almost every workspace. Thanks to Clarence, we can continue to innovate in these spaces while effectively collaborating with people in different parts of the world to bring food delivery robot ideas to life.
These are just five examples of Black innovators, pioneers, and leaders who have had a profound impact on AI, robotics, and technology throughout history. Despite facing unimaginable challenges, their perseverance and contributions have led to new innovations that improve our lives more than we can imagine and in ways that most take for granted. It paved the way for the development of technology. From the invention of food delivery robots to influencing nearly every industry known to date, their innovations fundamentally changed the world and continue to inspire new generations of innovators today. These leaders have been and continue to be essential to the advancement of technology and the many other contributions needed to further advance society. As Black History Month comes to a close, it's important that we continue to recognize their accomplishments and encourage diversity and inclusion in the technology field.
