SECTION VI 

 7. INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRICAL 



ENGINEERING 



By Dugatd C. Jackson and Harold B. Richmond 



Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology', Cambridge, Mass.; and Treasurer, General Radio Company, 



Cambridge, Mass., respectively 



INTRODUCTION 



This report is divided for convenience into three sec- 

 tions individually dealing with: (1) The evolution of 

 industrial research in the electrical engineering field, 

 (2) the current activities of such research in this field, 

 and (3) the promise of results wliich lie with industrial 

 research in the field. In considering this question of 

 industrial research and the qualities of its contributions 

 to the welfare of our population, it will be helpful to 

 keep in mind the order and nature of research processes, 

 which are in categories somewhat as follows: 



(a) Some individual thinks out and in concrete terms 

 proposes a desirable objective of research, which in the 

 electrical-engineering field may relate to producing an 

 improved means of communication, a more efficient 

 process in electric-power generation or transmission, a 

 device to perform a task previously unaccomplished, 

 some means for preventing some type of apparatus 

 fault, or any one of many unsolved items of importance; 

 or it may relate to something far more fundamental 

 that possesses the possibility of leading to revolutionary 

 inventions if the research discloses additional facts 

 regarding natural phenomena which may be given 

 serviceable application; 



(6) One or more individuals, stimulated into action 

 by this idea, make critical observations, measurements, 

 and calculations which throw new light on the problem 

 being considered and ultimately provide data indicating 

 the desirability or probable uselessness of continuing 

 the investigation and inquiry in an exacting waj^ to its 

 limit; 



(c) If the efforts in category (6) indicate the desir- 

 ability of proceeding, and financial support may be 

 relied on for further research, a suitable group of engi- 

 neers, scientists, and artisans may be set to work in 

 extending the observations, measurements, and calcu- 

 lations, in winch performance it may be needful to con- 

 ceive and put into effect new processes of measurements 

 and calculations, and to design, build, test, and modify 

 for retesting new apparatus or products. This may be 

 pressed forward until a usefid new or improved result 

 is achieved, or until failure of the particular attempt is 

 admitted. 



It will be noted that industrial research is an active 

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process intended to yield new products and benefits. 

 When successful in this intent, it expands the opportuni- 

 ties for employment in the manufacturing and operat- 

 ing industries. Inasmuch as the process is based on 

 hope and requires the expenditure of time and money in 

 advance of any assurance of a return in compensation 

 for this effort, it is notably dependent on the courage 

 and enterprise of men of ideas who are willing to risk 

 their time, their money, or both in the hope of a profit- 

 able result for the adventure. 



Experience in the repetitive processes of making 

 things usually will gradually disclose methods for less- 

 ening the labor of making the particular things or for 

 lessening their cost, even without the benefit of exacting 

 research. But the gradual exhaustion of natural re- 

 sources tends to make the procurement or production 

 of some tilings more difficult or expensive, and the level 

 of general living is likely to decline unless improve- 

 ments and new products and processes can be discovered 

 which may offset the declining situation. It is in this 

 matter of disclosing improvements and discovering 

 new products and processes that industrial research has 

 proved itself so serviceable to the people of the United 

 States. With adequate research wisely prosecuted we 

 may expect continuously to develop an enlarging variety 

 of improvements and of new products and processes (in 

 whatever field the research is carried on) which confer 

 new conveniences on the public, arouse new demands, 

 and (through the need for production to satisfy the de- 

 mands) cause an expanding market for labor. In this 

 way, research proves itself to be an important national 

 resource for the piu-pose of first maintaining and then 

 raising the level of Uving, and for expanding employ- 

 ment for those who desire to be employed. 



The aim of this report is to show briefly what indus- 

 trial research in the electrical-engineering field has 

 done, is doing, and may be expected to do — and why 

 it should be generally recognized as a national resource ; 

 as well as how the many engineers and special scien- 

 tists engaged in the work contribute to maintaining 

 the resource. In consideration of the limited space 

 available for the report, it has been thought best to 

 refrain from using statistical expositions or charts. 



