Speech Processing Pioneer Bishnu Saroop Atal Dies at 93

IEEE also bids farewell to innovators in space, power, and telecom Bishnu Saroop Atal received the 2013 IEEE Jack S. Kilby Signal Processing Medal for “fundamental and pioneering contributions to speech coding.” Bishnu Saroop AtalAcousticsandsignal processingpioneerLife Fellow, 93; died 19 August Atalwas an acoustics and signal processing researcher atBell Labsin Murray Hill, N.J., and later atAT&T’s Shannon Laboratory, in Florham Park, N.J. His pioneering work on voice-coding techniques became the foundation for efficient, high-quality voice transmission overcellular networks. He received the 2013IEEE Jack S. Kilby Signal Processing Medalfor “fundamental and pioneering contributions to speech coding.” He joinedBell Labsin 1961 as a communications researcher, and his early work there focused on speaker identification technology. During the 1960s he helped developlinear predictive coding, a powerful method for analyzing and compressing speech. LPC is now the most widely used method for encoding speech at a low bit rate. Atal developed increasingly sophisticated low-bit-rate speech-coding techniques. They includedmultipulse LPC, which improved the quality of compressed speech. He also worked with his colleagueManfred R. Schroederto developcode-excited linear prediction, a method for producing high-quality speech at very low bit rates. CELP became a foundational technique in modern speech coding, letting digital communications systems carry voice using less bandwidth. The extra efficiency expanded cellular capacity, allowingwireless networksto handle more simultaneous calls. Later in his career, he led the acoustics and speech research departments at Bell. The company named him a Fellow in 1994. When AT&T Bell Laboratories split into separate research organizations in 1996, Atal continued his career at the AT&T Florham Park headquarters, and he was named a Fellow the following year. He retired in 2002 and became an affiliate professor ofelectrical engineeringat theUniversity of Washington, in Seattle. There he continued his research in speech processing,speech recognition, and high-dimensional computing. Atal was elected to theNational Academy of Engineeringin 1987 and theNational Academy of Sciencesin 1993. He received numerous awards including the 2018International Speech Communication Association Medal for Scientific Achievementand a 2003medalfrom theFranklin Institute. He received a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1952 from theUniversity of Lucknow, inIndia, and a master’s degree in 1955 in electrical engineering from theIndian Institute of Science, in Bengaluru. While working full time at Bell he earned a Ph.D. in EE in 1968 from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (nowNew York University’s Tandon engineering school), inNew York City. Darryl Palmer Jr.Chair of the IEEE Central Illinois SectionSenior member, 55; died 30 August Palmer was a dedicated IEEE volunteer, serving as chair of theCentral Illinois Sectionand as the government relations chair ofRegion 4. He was a member of theIEEE Industrial Electronics Societyand its industrial activity committee. He also served as associate editor of theIEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics. In 1986, at age 16, Palmer completed a summer internship at NASA’sGlenn Research Center, in Cleveland. He helped developFoilSim, an interactive educational software program that introduces aerodynamic engineering to preuniversity students. While studying computer science atCleveland State Universityin 1996, he joined the university’sAllen-Bradley PLC labas a research assistant. He designed hardware and software systems for the Glenn Research Center to collect and process thermal wave imaging data. He also designed software forGeneral Motors’ North American robotic and welding division. In 1999 he completed a second internship at the research center and helped developEngineSim, an educational software program that models jet engine design and testing. For his work,NASArecognized him with aSpace Act Award. In 2000 he earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science and became a software engineer at theDanfoss Drivesmanufacturing facility in Loves Park, Ill. He worked on embeddedcontrol systemsfor variable-frequency drives and high-power equipment. He also developed sensorless control technology for beam pumps used in the oil and gas industry. In 2014 Palmer and his wife,Alexandra “Sasha” Goodwin, founded Janus Choice, a health technology platform that matches hospital patients with post-acute care facilities. He served as its CEO until the company closed in 2020. From 2018 to 2023, he was a lead software engineer atAdept Coalescence, a startup in Rockford, Ill., focused on developing front-end software for control systems. He then worked in Peoria, Ill., as a control systems team lead atCaterpillar, a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. Henry Leopold RichterTelecommunications engineerLife senior member, 99; died 12 August Richter was a spacecraft engineer atNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, Calif., before starting his own public safety communications consultancy. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. atCaltechin 1952 and 1956, respectively. In 1955 he joinedJPLas an engineer and supervisor of its new circuit elements group. Later, he was assigned to NASA’sExplorerprogram as project manager for satellite design, serving as a liaison between the organization’s satellite instrumentation group and itsoperationsand data groups. Since 1958 the program has launched more than 90 missions for physics,geophysics, andastrophysicsresearch. As NASA prepared to launchExplorer 1in January 1958, Richter worked with theSan Gabriel Valley Radio Clubin Los Angeles to set up stations across theUnited Statesto track the satellite. He eventually was named JPL section chief and was responsible for scientific instruments on the lunarRanger, Surveyor, andMarinerprograms. He also helped develop NASA’sDeep Space Network, an international tracking and communications system. Richter left NASA to become vice president and technical director ofXerox Electro-Optical Systems, in Pasadena, Calif. In the mid-1970s, he joined theLos Angeles County Sheriff’s Departmentas a communications engineer, overseeing the department’s microwave and mobile radio networks. He later ran a telecommunications consulting practice for more than 20 years. His clients included federal, state, and local government agencies, school districts, universities, and organizations. His work covered strategic technology planning and the design and implementation of public safety radio, microwave,CCTV, and paging systems. He wrote several books includingAmerica’s Leap Into Space: My Time at JPL and the First Explorer Satellites(2015), a personal account of his experience working on the Explorer 1 and America’s space program. In 2019 theRadio Club of Americapresented him with itsLifetime Achievement Awardfor “significant achievements and a major body of work that has advanced the art and science of wireless technology.” Raymond L. GiordanoFormerRCAengineerLife member, 91; died 19 July Giordano was an electrical engineer who designedintegrated circuitsand defense electronics at companies includingHarris,Intersil, andRCA. After earning his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1956 from the Newark College of Engineering (now theNew Jersey Institute of Technology), Giordano joined RCA in Moorestown, N.J., as an engineer. He helped develop a video formatter for the company’s missile and surface radar division, and he taught in-house engineering courses, eventually attaining the rank of senior technical staff member. Later he developed technologies forGeneral Electric(which acquired RCA in 1986), Intersil, and Harris. He designed the circuitry forKodak’s Cameo cameras and one of its laser printers. Giordano was awarded severalpatentsfor his designs including a smoke detector chip forSiemens, a speed control chip forFord, an engine control syste