Robert J. Weber

How do inventions take shape? How did the inventors of the sewing needle, the hammer, or the wheel find their ideas? Are these creations the result of random events, or are hidden principles at work? Using everyday objects most of us take for granted--from forks and Velcro to safety pins and doorknobs--noted cognitive psychologist Robert Weber takes a fascinating look at how our world of inventions came into being, and how the mind's problem-solving abilities gave them the forms they have. As an archaeologist studies shards of pottery for clues about an ancient culture, Weber examines the many forms of inventions, from stone knives to genetically engineered mice, and finds a rich record of the work of many minds over time--a record of human creativity and problem-solving handed down through the centuries. He offers various methods for analyzing what mental paths might have been taken by these inventive minds. In the test for design, for example, he ponders how an item would work if various components were shuffled or constructed differently, revealing how the optimal shape of the invention was discovered. He challenges the reader to engage in thought experiments to explore how the horse-drawn cart, the waterscrew, or the fork might have taken shape over many years, through the efforts of successive inventors and adapters. In stripping these simple artifacts to the bone, Weber finds a hidden intelligence at work in everyday objects as well as recurrent heuristics (basic principles or rules of thumb) that are common among many of our most successful inventions--heuristics powerful enough to generate endless new ideas. Weber ranges across the work of Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, the Wright brothers, as well as grade-school children who have won national awards for their inventions, revealing that the same principles are at work in the discoveries of all of them. Basic principles of invention, he writes, govern how we think, solve, and manipulate ideas, whether mechanical or mental, real or mythological. Weber's playful, original, and insightful look at the inventions around us reveals a hidden intelligence in everything from screws to tea bags to synthesizers--an intelligence based on principles of creativity and problem-solving. His fascinating account sheds light on how the mind hones its most original thoughts and products, and provides a field guide for how we can tap into our own creativity.

A Field Guide to Inventive Thinking

Forks, Phonographs, and Hot Air Balloons

"Do you want to design a wireless transmitter or receiver for hand-held telephones? Have you wondered why the printed circuit wires on high-frequency circuits don't always run in a straight line? This valuable text will answer all of your questions regarding component parasitics and circuit characterization for rf/microwave amplifier, oscillator, and filter circuit design and analysis. You will understand why capacitors act as inductors and vice versa and why amplifiers work like oscillators, while oscillators for local area networks work more like local area heaters. Application of the information in Introduction to Microwave Circuits will reduce design-cycle time and costs, markedly increasing the probability of first-time success in printed circuit or monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) design. Several approaches are taken into consideration, such as the effects of currents on the ground plane, bypass and coupling capacitors, and nonlinear effects in linear circuits. Featured topics include: * Incorporation of component parasitics in the design cycle * Closed form solution to oscillator design * Odd mode stability analysis * PIN diode analysis for high-power switching applications An integrated design example of a 1.25 GHz amplifier, oscillator, and filter printed circuit is also included, which could be useful in printed circuit board designs from tens of megahertz to tens of gigahertz. Introduction to Microwave Circuits provides the tools necessary to analyze or synthesize microwave circuits. This text is an essential reference for undergraduate students, microwave engineers, and administrators. Also, it will assist experienced designers in other fields to meet the current rapid expansion of communication system applications and work effectively in microwave circuit design. About the Author Robert J. Weber began his prolific career in the Solid State Research Laboratory at the Collins Radio Company, later a part of Rockwell International. For 25 years, he worked on advanced development and applied research in the one- to ten-gigahertz frequency range and received several distinguished awards for his valuable contributions to the field. Dr. Weber is involved in ongoing experimental research in integrating microwave circuits with other devices such as MEMS, chemical sensors, and electro-optics. Also, he teaches microwave circuit design and fiber-optics communications at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University. Dr. Weber is an IEEE Fellow." Sponsored by: IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society.

Robert J. Weber

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