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RCA Press Release for June 8, 1983

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) today presented its 1983 Vladimir K. Zworykin Award to Dr. Jon K. Clemens and Eugene O. Keizer, both of RCA Laboratories, Princeton, N.J., for "outstanding contributions to the development of an electronic disc system for recorded television programs."

The Award was given to Dr. Clemens and Mr. Keizer at the International Conference on Consumer Electronics in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Dr. Clemens and Mr. Keizer played key roles in the development of the capacitance electronic disc system (CED). Both men were involved with the project since its inception at RCA Laboratories in 1965. The system utilizes a diamond stylus to sense video and audio information stored in the grooves of a specially formulated plastic disc. It is reliable, easy to use and relatively inexpensive. The system was commercially introduced by RCA in the United States in 1981 and will make its debut in the United Kingdom this fall.

In 1980 Dr. Clemens and Mr. Keizer were the only two Americans among seven scientists honored by the Eduard Rhein Foundation of West Germany for video disc developments.

Dr. Clemens, a native of Lansdale, Pa., received a B.A. degree in Physics in 1960 from Goshen College, an M.S. degree in 1963 and a Ph.D. degree in 1965, both in Electrical Engineering, from M.I.T.

He joined RCA Laboratories in 1965 to work on high density video recording for consumer use. During the years 1965 through 1970 he worked on various approaches to video disc systems including the capacitance pick-up video disc system. Since then his work has included all aspects of system development, including disc format and signal encoding systems and the responsibility for specifying the RCA VideoDisc standards.

In 1975 Dr. Clemens was named Head, Signal Systems Research, with the primary responsibility for developing the VideoDisc signal system for both mastering and player design, and in 1981 he was promoted to Director, VideoDisc Systems Research Laboratory. He was appointed Staff Vice President, Consumer Electronics Research, in 1983. Dr. Clemens has received three RCA Laboratories Outstanding Achievement Awards and the David Sarnoff Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement for his work on the capacitance electronic disc videodisc system.

Dr. Clemens and his wife have three children and live in Skillman, N. J.

Mr. Keizer, a native of LeMars, Iowa, received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1940 and joined RCA after graduation.

Since 1940 Mr. Keizer has contributed to research in several areas, principally radar, color television receivers, color television display systems, and prerecorded video disc systems. He led the RCA video disc research team during its early years, 1964-1971, and continued to be responsible for research teams in video disc mastering and signal retrieval areas until 1979, when he became associated with RCA "SelectaVision" VideoDisc Operations in Indianapolis. He returned to RCA Laboratories in 1980, where he is now Staff Scientist in video disc research. Mr. Keizer has received two RCA Laboratories Outstanding Achievement Awards as well as two David Sarnoff Awards for Outstanding Technical Achievement.

Mr. Keizer and his wife, who have two sons, live in Princeton, N. J.