Prof. Dr. Richard W. Hamming
Curriculum Vitae von Prof. Dr. Richard W. Hamming
| 11.2.1915 | Geboren in Chicago/Illinois als Sohn von Richard und Mabel Hamming |
| 1937 | Bachelor für Mathematik, University of Chicago |
| 1939 | Magister für Mathematik, University of Nebraska |
| 1942 | Ph.D. für Mathematik, University of Illinois. |
| 1945 - 46 | Mathematiker in Los Alamos |
| 1946 - 76 | Hauptsächlich computerzentrierte Arbeit in der mathematischen Forschungsabteilung der Bell-Telefon-Laboratorien; drei Jahre Lehrtätigkeit an der Princeton University im Fach Statistik |
| seit 1976 | Professor für Informatik an der Naval Postgraduate School/Monterey; Lehrveranstaltungen zur Informations- und Codierungstheorie, der Simulation und Modellbildung, der Differential- und Integralrechnung sowie zu fortgeschrittenen Informatikthemen. Zeitweise Präsident der Association for Computing Machinery. Vizepräsident der Mathematik- Abteilung der American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Publikationen | Über 75 technische Berichte. Neun Bücher, darunter „Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers", das seit 17 Jahren weite Verwendung findet; „Digital Filters" (1977) und „Information and Coding Theory" (1979). Herausgeber zahlreicher Fachzeitschriften zur Informatik, Mathematik und Ingenieurwissenschaften |
| Ehrungen | |
| 1958 | Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. |
| 1968 | „Turing Prize" der Association for Computing Machinery. |
| 1979 | „Emmanuel R. Piore Award" des Institute of Electrical und Electronics Engineers (IEEE). |
| 1988 | B„The Hamming Medal" des IEEE; diese Medaille wurde als Ehrung für Prof. Hammings Beiträge zur Informatik geschaffen und ihm als erstem . verliehen. „Harold Pender Prize" der University of Pennsylvania. |
Hamming Distance and Hamming Codes
In daily life distances are measured by counting the minimum of meters necessary to move from one place to another.
Analogous to this, in the digital world of string of zero´s and one´s i.e. bits, the "Hamming distance" is the minimum number of bits must be changed to move from one string to another. This use of the term distance was first introduced by R.W. Hamming at the beginning 1950´s and has been widely applied ever since in areas extending from communications einginnering to information science. For example, in the typical problem of face recognition using artificial intelligence, the similarity between two faces can be measured in terms of the Hamming distance
Hamming, however, originally introduced this measure of distance in connection with the correction of errors in th transmission, storing and processing of binary signals. The larger the number of transmission erros ist, the larger the Hamming distance is between the string of bits which hass been transmitted and that which has been incorrectly received. Therefore Hamming only used such strings of bits for transmission as had a Hamming distance more than twice as large as that which could originate owing to errors in transmission. This allows a mistake to be recognized and even corrected. A number of strings of bits with a large Hamming distance form a "Hamming code." Together with Shannon´s informations theory, Hamming work created the basis for the general theory of error correction. Its importance lies above all the fact that arbitrarily complex systems van be assembled with a given reliability from less reliable parts.
The Theory of error correction, with extremly comples mathematics, is indispensible for the proper funtioning of every CD player and mobile telephone, but also of every mainframe computer and worl-wide communication networks. Only through the use of such codes can the inevitables erros in the transmission, storing and processing of information be rectified.
| Prof. Dr. Hans Dieter Lüke RWTH Aachen |