Sergei Alekseyevich Lebedev
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sergei Alekseyevich Lebedev (November 2, 1902, n.s. - 1974) - Soviet/Ukranian /Russian scientist in the field of electrical engineering and computer science. Full member of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (1945), Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union (1953).
Lebedev was born in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. November 2, 1902 is the date of birth of Sergei Lebedev -the outstanding Russian scientist and designer of the first Soviet computers.
In 1997 IEEE Computer Society recognized Sergei Lebedev by the "Computer Pioneer Award" for his pioneer works in the field of computer design and his founding of the computer industry. Undoubtedly, his work had the strongest influence on the development of computer science throughout the countries of the former USSR.
Among his great body of work one should note especially the legendary series of BESM computers. These inexpensive, economic and reliable multi-purpose computers were used to solve both complex scientific tasks like the control of space-flight (the "Soyuz - Apollo" project) and non-traditional computer applications, such as linguistics.
He graduated from Moscow Highest Technical School in 1928. In 1928-1946 he worked at All-Union Electrotechnical Institute (formerly a division of MSTU) in Moscow and Kiev. In 1946-1951 he headed the Kiev Electrotechnical Institute of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. In 1952 he became a professor at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. From 1953 until death he was the director of Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering which was later named after him.
Lebedev was the head of the research group in Theophania near Kiev, which created MESM, the fist digital programmable computer in Continental Europe (1950). This group also created BESM series of computers.
Contents |
[edit] Early Life
Sergei Lebedev began his career as an electrical engineer. He had significant scientific achievements in the field of the stability of electrical system operations. In 1939 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Sciences for the development of the theory of "artificial stability" of electrical systems. During II World War Lebedev worked in the field of control automation of complex systems. His group designed a weapon-aiming stabilization system for tanks and an automatic guidance system for airborne missiles. To perform these tasks Lebedev developed in 1945 an analog computer system to solve ordinary differential equations.
After the end of the war he returned to the work of improving the stability of electrical systems. For this work he received the Stalin (State) prize in 1950. But before this, in 1948, Lebedev had found out from foreign magazines that scientists in Western countries were working on the design of electronic computers. And though the details of these works were secret, the idea fascinated him. In the autumn of the same year he decided to focus the work of his laboratory on computer design.
[edit] BESM Development
The first computer BESM-1 was completed by the end of 1951 and by this time Lebedev and his team has gained invaluable experience. The theoretical assumptions, the engineering hunches, the ideas, finding the necessary components in a country destroyed by war - all these were now behind them. The experimental computer was complete and Lebedev was ready to begin the design of a computer that could go into series production. Such a machine was developed in a remarkably short time. In April 1953 the State commission accepted as operational the new high-speed BESM-1 computer, but it did not go into series production. This was because of opposition on the part of the Ministry of Machine and Instrument Building, which pushed its own weaker and less reliable machine.
Lebedev did not despair, nor wait for justice to triumph. Instead he immediately began development of a new more powerful computer - the M-20. The number in the name denoted its expected processing speed - 20 thousand operations per second. No computer anywhere in the world could run as fast at that time. In 1958 the machine was accepted as operational and put into series production. It was victory, and recognition. Simultaneously BESM-2, a development of BESM-1, went into series production. Though BESM-2's speed was slower than the M-20, its reliability has been acknowledged by experts. In particular, it was used to calculate satellite orbits and the trajectory of the first rocket to reach the surface of the Moon.
But, certainly, most famous, most successful was BESM - 6. This universal computer was in production for 17 years! An absolute world record. Reliability and simplicity, low power consumption, advanced software, and good speed - that characterized it and explained its popularity and competitiveness over such a long period. The distinctive feature of the scientific school created by Lebedev was the skill to develop computers of maximum efficiency, in spite of the low level of industrial technology and low reliability of basic computer components in the USSR. The computers designed by Lebedev stood out for their reliability in operation and low price.
Lebedev was a very purposeful man. He defined complex scientific and organizational tasks, and managed a great scientific institute. Yet on a personal level he was a modest man. His basic characteristics were fairness, trust in his staff, persistence, kindness and the complete absence of any attitude of superiority towards other people. He always found a common language with young people. He considered personal example as the main principle of education. Lebedev paid a lot of attention to the training of scientific staff. He was the departmental Chair of computer technology in Moscow Institute of Physics and the departmental Chair of automation of electrical systems in the Moscow Power Institute.
Lebedev died in Moscow and is interred at Novodevichy Cemetery.
