M.E. “Ted” Hoff

Hardware engineer

October 28, 1937

INDUCTED IN THE CLASS OF 2000

Notable accomplishments:

  • Developed concept of combining multiple integrated circuits into a single programmable chip (1971)
  • Worked on design team with Federico Faggin and Stanley Mazor to build a working prototype of that concept, which became the Intel 4004, the world’s first microprocessor (1971)
  • Worked with Faggin and Mazor on the Intel 8008 (1972) and 8080 (1974)

Quotes:
“One of the things I fault the media for is when you talk about microprocessors, you think about notebook and desktop computers. You don’t think of automobiles, or digital cameras or cell phones that make use of computation.” BBC, May 4, 2011

“The actual invention of the microprocessor wasn’t as important as simply appreciating that there was a market for such a thing.” PC Magazine, December 16, 2014

“I have a whole bunch of computers here at home. I still like to play around with micro-controllers. I like to programm and make them solve technical problems for me.” BBC, May 4, 2011

Suggested reading:
“The Chip” by T.R. Reid (2001)

“The New Alchemists” by Dirk Hansen (1983)

Learn more:
Marcian E. (Ted) Hoff at the National Inventors Hall of Fame