Citation
Interviews and Kodak Archives
TL;DR
Device: 8 pounds, 0.01 megapixels, cassette tape storage
First-hand accounts of the 1975 digital camera invention at Kodak and the 1976 executive demonstration. Documents the 'that's cute - but don't tell anyone about it' response and subsequent 36-year delay from invention to bankruptcy (1976-2012). Primary source for understanding organizational signal transduction failure.
Sasson's story reveals that Kodak's executives understood the technology - they weren't stupid. They asked about patents, manufacturing costs, and business model implications. The signals were detected. The transduction was blocked by incentive, infrastructure, and identity constraints.
Key Findings from Sasson (1976)
- First digital camera built 1975, demonstrated to executives 1976
- Device: 8 pounds, 0.01 megapixels, cassette tape storage
- Executive response: 'That's cute - but don't tell anyone about it'
- 36 years from invention to bankruptcy (1976-2012)