The Age of Electronic Messages

by John G. Truxal

Overview

What are the frontiers of today's communications technology? The Age of Electronic Messages explains the scientific principles on which this technology is based and explores its capabilities and limitations, its risks and benefits. In straightforward language accompanied by numerous illustrations, Truxal describes the communications technology that has become such an integral part of today's work and leisure. He provides accounts of the bar codes used in supermarkets and the postal system of the way signals are described in terms of frequencies and in digital form of hearing and audio systems, of radio and navigation, of medical imaging, and of television broadcasting and narrowcasting. Unlike other books on the subject, The Age of Electronic Messages takes into account the sociology of the new communications technology as well as its mathematical and physical underpinnings.

The Age of Electronic Messages is included in the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation sponsored series, the New Liberal Arts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262701020
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	03/07/1990
Series:	New Liberal Arts
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	508
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John Truxal is Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Technology and Society at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Technology of Communications
Chapter 2: Messages Without Errors
Chapter 3: Electrical Safety
Chapter 4: The Building Blocks of Signals
Chapter 5: Resonance
Chapter 6: The Engineer Looks at Hearing
Chapter 7: Digital Signals
Chapter 8: Signals Through Space
Chapter 9: Radio
Chapter 10: Medical Ultrasonic Imagining
Chapter 11: Television

What People are Saying About This

J. Ronald Spencer

This is a marvelous book. It is informative, engagingly written and readily accessible to those like myself with little scientific or technological background. I read it with considerable fascination.

Bradley J. Strait

At Syracuse University we have used John's notes for this book in a large and very successful course entitled ' The Age of Electronic Messages' for students in our non-technical disciplines. The material covered makes it possible to deliver substantial technical information to students having little or no technical background.

Jack Ruina

A marvellous and sweeping survey of the vital area of communications technology. Will be as informative and useful to an electrical engineering student as to one in the liberal arts.

Endorsement

A marvellous and sweeping survey of the vital area of communications technology. Will be as informative and useful to an electrical engineering student as to one in the liberal arts.

—Jack Ruina, Professor of Electroincal Engineering, MIT

From the Publisher

This is a marvelous book. It is informative, engagingly written and readily accessible to those like myself with little scientific or technological background. I read it with considerable fascination.

—J. Ronald Spencer, Associate Dean, Trinity College

The students in my telecommunications technology course found Truxal's text accessible and informative; they especially enjoyed his many good examples. I would have had great difficulty teaching the course without this book.

—Charles Duke, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty

At Syracuse University we have used John's notes for this book in a large and very successful course entitled 'The Age of Electronic Messages' for students in our non-technical disciplines. The material covered makes it possible to deliver substantial technical information to students having little or no technical background.

—Bradley J. Strait, Dean of Engineering

A marvellous and sweeping survey of the vital area of communications technology. Will be as informative and useful to an electrical engineering student as to one in the liberal arts.

—Jack Ruina, Professor of Electroincal Engineering, MIT

Charles Duke

The students in my telecommunications technology course found Truxal's text accessible and informative; they especially enjoyed his many good examples. I would have had great difficulty teaching the course without this book.

Editorial Reviews

Developed from an undergraduate course taught by Truxal (technology and society, SUNY, Stonybrook). Describes bar codes, electrical safety, resonance, hearing, digital signals, ultrasonic imaging, broadcasting, and other topics. Includes questions and problems. The series is designed to introduce technical subjects to liberal arts students. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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