Robert Silvers
Portfolio Bio Statement Galleries In the News Books Corporate
 
     
 

HP Invent America

In 2002 Robert Silvers collaborated with Hewlett-Packard to create an inventive and unique homage to American innovation: the world's largest digital image. This massive Photomosaic, in both its content and creation, represents a synergy of high and low technology metaphorical of America's passion for new ideas and old-fashioned craftsmanship. You can read the HP Press release reproduced below or Click Here to read the original article.

Dick Clark Unveils "HP Invent America," Celebrating Nation's Spirit of Inventiveness

World's Largest Digital Image Features More Than 113,000 Images, Including Photos of Joy Behar, Colin Cowie, Gavin MacLeod and Henry Winkler

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 4, 2002

Entertainment innovator Dick Clark today led 600 sixth graders from James A. Foshay Learning Center and inventor look-alikes Albert Einstein, Betsy Ross and Ben Franklin in a New Year's Eve-style countdown to unveil "HP Invent America" -- the world's largest digital image -- at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The unveiling celebrates HP's rollout of nearly 50 new imaging and printing products that make it easier for consumers to capture, save, share and print high-quality photographs.

The football field-sized Photomosaic™ is made of 700 four-foot by eight-foot tiles totaling 22,400 square feet. If the panels were laid end to end, the image would stretch 5,600 feet, which is longer than 12 Hollywood signs (5,400 feet) and New York's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (4,260 feet on the main span), taller than 10 Washington Monuments (5,500 feet) and nearly as tall as Mount Rushmore (5,725 feet). The ink used to print the Photomosaic would fill 34 one-liter soda bottles or more than 100 eleven-ounce coffee mugs.

"In celebration of the introduction of nearly 50 imaging and printing products -- the largest consumer product rollout in HP's history -- we found no better way than to allow consumers to share in the excitement through the creation and unveiling of the world's largest digital image," said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, HP Imaging and Printing Group. "As a company that's known for inventiveness, HP is pleased to offer consumers new, easy-to-use digital imaging 'inventions' that provide high-quality results at affordable prices."

"HP Invent America" Design

Created by Robert Silvers, who invented Photomosaic technology while a student at the MIT Media Lab, the "HP Invent America" Photomosaic features digital images submitted by people across the country that showcase their favorite inventions. The master image, which is made of more than 113,000 photos, is a map of the United States that highlights inventions such as the light bulb, telephone, United States flag, baseball and the microchip.

"As an inventor, I was instantly intrigued and interested when HP approached me to create a Photomosaic that would celebrate America's spirit of inventiveness," said Robert Silvers, president and chief executive officer, Runaway Technology Inc. of Cambridge Mass. "It's exciting to see the culmination of this project, which is the largest image I have ever created using Photomosaics."

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

avorite inventions from people across the country reflect a celebration of technology (computers, cell phones); personal inventions (hybrid flow, American flag created on hay bales); food (candy, coffee); clothing (jeans, sneakers); people (children, parents, friends); scenery (sunsets, mountains); transportation (motorcycles, cars); landmarks (Mt. Rushmore, Golden Gate Bridge); and animals (dogs, cats).

The Photomosaic also features photos submitted by celebrities that highlight their favorite inventions, including:

  • Dick Clark with a phonograph;
  • Joy Behar, co-host of ABC Television's The View, with her hair dryer;
  • Colin Cowie, celebrity wedding and party planner, with his watch;
  • Gavin MacLeod (a.k.a. Captain Stubing from The Love Boat) with a cruise ship; and
  • Henry Winkler (a.k.a. Fonzie from Happy Days), executive producer of Hollywood Squares, with the manuscript to his first book.

Creating "HP Invent America"

The company used high-performance HP Designjet 5500s large-format printers, nine gallons of HP 83 UV ink and 56 rolls of HP heavyweight coated paper -- ideal supplies for outdoor signs, posters and banners -- to print the photo-quality image. The printers, ink and paper used for the creation of the image represent the technology that HP is now making available in its new line of consumer imaging and printing products.

To view "HP Invent America" and for information about where and by whom the featured inventions were created, log on to http://www.hp.com/inventamerica.com

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

HP details
HP details