On Tuesday, US Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez
announced the winners of the 2004 (better late than never) National Medal of Technology, "the nation's highest honor
for technological innovation." Among the 7 recipients (2 individuals, 5 companies) were Ralph Henry Baer and Industrial
Light & Magic.
Baer, for those who do not know their roots, created the first home video game console (Magnavox Odyssey), but perhaps
more notably invented every child's favorite frustration, Simon (pictured). Industrial Light & Magic is
George Lucas' technology development house, having worked on nearly every movie released lately (Harry Potter
4, Chicken Little, The Island, and, of course, Revenge of the Sith). Congratulations, guys -
now, when is Nolan Bushnell going to get his due?
[via Gamasutra]
