Hidetsugu Yagi - Into The Communication

Into The Communication

The topic of wireless communication which he pursued during his studies abroad would become a research theme to which he would dedicate his entire life. In 1919 he became a professor at the Faculty of Engineering Sciences of the Tokyo Imperial University which was then established and during the same year he also attained the title of doctor of engineering sciences. He was able to foresee that short waves or ultra short waves would become the main element for communication using radio waves and he aimed his research in this direction. This resulted in the publication of his papers called "Generation of Short Wavelength Waves", "Measuring Specific Wavelengths with Short Wavelengths", and other papers. The so-called Yagi antenna is based on these published articles. He invented it as an antenna using his "method for directional electric waves". He obtained the patent rights to his invention (patent number 69115, issued in the year 1926).

Because this invention uses a very simple construction, it enabled directional communication with electric waves. This construction is still used basically in any type of antenna which is used today for ultra short or extremely short waves. In year 1942 he became Director of the Industrial Sciences Faculty of the Tokyo University, in year 1944 he became General Director of the Technology Institute, and in year 1946 also General Director of the Osaka Imperial University. He was decorated with the Blue Ribbon Award in year 1951, with the Culture Award in year 1956, and in year 1976 with the Large Asahi Award of the First Class. He died in year 1976.