National Instruments celebrates its co-founders and National Inventors Day

Monday, Feb. 11 marked National Inventors' Day in the United States. It was designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 to coincide with Thomas Edison's birthday and recognize the contributions inventors make to both the nation and to everyday life. Regan's 1983 proclamation words still ring true:

"Today, just as in George Washington's day, inventors are the keystone of the technological progress that is so vital to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of this country. Individual ingenuity and perseverance, spurred by the incentives of the patent system, begin the process that results in improved standards of living, increased public and private productivity, creation of new industries, improved public services, and enhanced competitiveness of American products in world markets."

National Instruments (NI) celebrated the event Monday, honoring its co-founders Jeff Kodosky (“The Father of LabVIEW”) and Dr. James Truchard (Dr. T). They are among 19 innovators inducted this year into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for their pioneering virtual instrumentation work with LabVIEW. Fellow 2019 honorees invented fluoride toothpaste, the portable electric drill, the Unix OS, and the first web browser for the blind. See profiles of all the 2019 inductees here.

Since Jeff and Dr. T introduced LabVIEW in 1986, engineers, scientists, and academics worldwide have used it to solve complex engineering challenges. Regarding its impact, Dr. T said, "LabVIEW was developed to do for engineers what the spreadsheet did for financial analysts.”

The NI pair will be honored May 1 and 2 at a ceremony and gala in Washington, DC, hosted by the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. An exhibit celebrating this year’s class of distinguished inventors will also be on display at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum, housed at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

"We couldn’t be prouder of our co-founders and the spirit of innovation and discovery they have created here at NI," the company said in a blog post Monday. "Congratulations to Jeff and Dr. T, and thank you to all of the inventors—including our employees, customers, and partners—who accelerate innovation each and every day."

Dr. T is featured in this video from the National Inventors Hall of Fame that introduces this year's induction class: