Google Doodle honors Robert Noyce, father of the microchip

Google celebrated what would have been the 84th birthday of the late Robert “Bob” Noyce today with one of its much-loved doodles. To honor the co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel, the search engine’s logo was featured on a microprocessor in its home page.

As Michael Cavna of Comic Riffs points out, by honoring the father of the microchip, the company is really remembering one of its own:

“TODAY, SILICON VALLEY salutes its very own mayor. And rarely does Google’s tribute ‘Doodle’ strike quite so close to home.

Noyce’s integral role in Fairchild Semiconductor, and the integrated chip, helped pave the way for companies such as Google, notes Emi Kolawole of Innovations:

“Noyce, known affectionately as the ‘mayor of Silicon Valley,’ invented the integrated chip, which made possible the creation of microprocessors and subsequently the personal computer revolution. His contributions to the technology world don’t end there. Noyce, along with Gordon Moore, founded Intel in 1968, which went on to become one of the Valley’s foundational companies.”

In addition to opening the flood gates for tech companies, Noyce had a deep impact on fellow inventors, including Steve Jobs, Cavna points out:

“Noyce also figures prominently this year in Walter Isaacson’s current bestseller ‘Steve Jobs,’ which characterizes Noyce as being like a professional father figure to the Apple co-founder, who died in October.

“By the time Noyce himself died in 1990, at age 62, he was one of the towering figures in the personal computing revolution.”

Google has honored many other visionaries and performers over the past year, including Les Paul, Lucille Ball, Jim Henson and Mark Twain. Case your vote for your favorite doodle of the year here.

More on Google Doodles:

Google Doodles 2011: Which one was your favorite?

Comic Riffs | Google Doodle pays tribute to Robert Noyce

Robert Noyce gets a Google Doodle

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