Jean-Daniel Nicoud (born 31 August 1938), is a Swiss computer scientist, noted for inventing a

computer mouse A computer mouse (plural mice; also mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of the Cursor (user interface)#Po ...

with an optical encoder and the CALM (Common

Assembly Language In computing, assembly language (alternatively assembler language or symbolic machine code), often referred to simply as assembly and commonly abbreviated as ASM or asm, is any low-level programming language with a very strong correspondence bet ...

for

microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor (computing), processor for which the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit (IC), or a small number of ICs. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, a ...

s). He obtained a degree in physics at the

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (, EPFL) is a public university, public research university in Lausanne, Switzerland, founded in 1969 with the mission to "train talented engineers in Switzerland". Like its sister institution E ...

(EPFL) in 1963. Around 1965, he became interested in

logical system A formal system is an abstract structure and formalization of an axiomatic system used for deducing, using rules of inference, theorems from axioms. In 1921, David Hilbert proposed to use formal systems as the foundation of knowledge in math ...

s. He obtained his PhD at the EPFL in 1970 and became a professor in 1973. His laboratory, LAMI (''LAboratoire de Micro-Informatique''), developed the Smaky computer, in addition to the optical

, an update of the traditional kinetic mouse invented by

Douglas Engelbart Douglas Carl Engelbart (January 30, 1925 – July 2, 2013) was an American engineer, inventor, and a pioneer in many aspects of computer science. He is best known for his work on founding the field of human–computer interaction, particularly ...

. The

Khepera mobile robot The Khepera is a small (5.5 cm) differential wheeled mobile robot that was developed at the LAMI laboratory of Professor Jean-Daniel Nicoud at EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) in the mid 1990s. It was developed by Edo. Franzi, Francesco Mon ...

was also developed at the LAMI. He left the EPFL in August 2000 and is actively innovating in his private company, DIDEL, especially in the area of miniature ultralight aircraft (below 10 g airplanes). His airplane was used in a publication that received a best paper award in IROS 2006 conference.

References

External links

''A History of Computing in Switzerland''Prof. Jean-Daniel Nicoud @ EPFLDIDEL - Slow flyers, microrobots and educational kits for technical schools and hobby roboticians
Swiss computer scientists 1938 births Living people Academic staff of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne alumni {{Switzerland-scientist-stub

See also

References

Further reading

External links