With a foreword from Jean-Marie Schaller, founder and creative director of Louis Moinet, this book introduces some of the most elegant watches the horological world has to offer, including several one-of-a-kind pieces that have never before appeared in print. Many of these ateliers handcraft both the watches and their complicated mechanical movements in-house. The level of expertise and craftsmanship involved is truly dazzling. Featuring such stunning timepieces as the 15.48 Driver Watch, the Andreas Strehler Time Shadow and the Antoine Preziuso Chronometer, Tourbillon of Tourbillons, this expertly curated collection of watch profiles will catch the eye of any true enthusiast. Steve Huyton looks beyond the price tag, featuring affordable options of particular artistic merit as well as pieces from the luxury end of the scale. Discover the hidden gems of the watchmaking business - 60 independent artisans counted among the finest makers in the world. Includes the work of: Hajime Asaoka, Felix Baumgartner (Urwerk), Aaron Becsei, Vincent Calabrese, Konstantin Chaykin, Bernhard Lederer (BLU), Masahiro Kikuno, Vianney Halter, Antoine Preziuso and Andreas Strehler, among others.

This book focuses on the basics of the six sigma methodology. It targets on both manufacturing as well as non-manufacturing organizations and demystifies the Six Sigma methodology. The book addresses the concepts of the Six Sigma philosophy and explains the methodologies involved in it.

This multi-contributed handbook focuses on the latest workings of IoT (internet of Things) and Big Data. As the resources are limited, it's the endeavor of the authors to support and bring the information into one resource. The book is divided into 4 sections that covers IoT and technologies, the future of Big Data, algorithms, and case studies showing IoT and Big Data in various fields such as health care, manufacturing and automation. Features Focuses on the latest workings of IoT and Big Data Discusses the emerging role of technologies and the fast-growing market of Big Data Covers the movement toward automation with hardware, software, and sensors, and trying to save on energy resources Offers the latest technology on IoT Presents the future horizons on Big Data

The purpose of this unique handbook is to provide reference material that includes basic principles and current developments in the field of natural coloration and finishing. A sustainable world requires the utilization of renewable materials or resources that can be produced in huge quantities for a wide range of applications. To adopt the use of active materials for textile coloration and finishing, they should reach the technical demands of the modern world such as eco-preservation, economic and ecological requirements by which, equity and sustainability might be considered. Therefore, there is a need to discuss and understand the challenges and solutions of textile coloration and functional finishing methodologies. The 20 chapters comprising the Handbook of Renewable Materials for Coloration and Finishing are divided into four segments: Substrates for Coloration and Finishing; Renewable Colorants and their Applications; Advanced Materials and Technologies for Coloration; and Finishing and Sustainability. Part I contains three chapters that overview the systematic discussion on the suitability, physical, chemical and processing aspects of substrates for coloration and finishing. Part II includes nine chapters and covers in-depth arguments on renewable colorants and their various applications including a chapter on bio-colorant's application as photosensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells. Part III contains five chapters in which modern advancements and processing methods/technologies for coloration and functional finishing are presented comprehensively. Part IV contains two chapters that provide sustainable aspects of coloration and finishing.

Introduction to Renewable Energy Conversions examines all the major renewable energy conversion technologies with the goal of enabling readers to formulate realistic resource assessments. The text provides step-by-step procedures for assessing renewable energy options and then moves to the design of appropriate renewable energy strategies. The goal is for future engineers to learn the process of making resource estimates through the introduction of more than 140 solved problems and over 165 engineering related equations. More than 120 figures and numerous tables explain each renewable energy conversion type. A solutions manual, PowerPoint slides, and lab exercises are available for instructors. Key Features Covers all major types of renewable energy with comparisons for use in energy systems Builds skills for evaluating energy usage versus environmental hazards and climate change factors Presents and explains the key engineering equations used to design renewable energy systems Uses a practical approach to design and analyze renewable energy conversions Offers a solutions manual, PowerPoint slides, and lab activity plans for instructors

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes are proving to be a disruptive technology and are grabbing the attention of the propulsion industry. AM-related advancements in new industries, supply chains, design opportunities, and novel materials are increasing at a rapid pace. The goal of this text is to provide an overview of the practical concept-to-utilization lifecycle in AM for propulsion applications. As with any new process, it's tempting to get caught up in the excitement of AM and its application and to give little forethought to the potential economic and technical challenges. This text is intended to help AM adopters to be intentional as they apply these technologies, and to understand the basis for the lifecycle of AM components. It is a practical guide based on lessons learned and experiences with both successes and in failures in AM. The organization of this text seeks to guide an engineer through the intertwined basics, regarding design and implementation, as they begin their journey into AM. The book is also relevant for veteran AM users as a reference. While AM is still in the development phase and continues to evolve, the fundamental lessons learned remain of great value even as forthcoming technology emerges. While many metal AM processes are referenced, the book focuses on those with more industry maturity, including powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition.

This book applies systems thinking to treat project management in a systemic and systematic manner from a problem-solving perspective. Considering the project as a system, the book discusses traditional project planning and organizing, as well as some neglected aspects of the project, namely how to prevent cost and schedule escalation, how to deal with change, recognize problems in time to prevent project failure and what to do when things go wrong during the implementation states of a project. This book provides you with a better understanding of the systems approach to problem-solving and project management that will enable you to be more successful at managing projects. Features Treats projects as systems Presents project management as a problem-solving paradigm Discusses how to incorporate prevention into planning and how to show the value Describes what to do and how to cope with unanticipated problems that arise during the project implementation state Introduces new tools and techniques

Shiba and Walden have significantly revised their classic, "A New American TQM," With new methodologies and case studies, this work is one of the most comprehensive studies of management theory and business success. The authors identify a comprehensive approach to management that goes beyond operations improvement to help executives and managers create unique organizational capabilities. They contend that organizations must develop skills in four major areas: customer focus, continuous improvement, total participation, and societal networking.

They present proven methods that enable dynamic implementation strategies, facilitate ongoing learning, and encourage continuous diffusion of evolving information and quality practices throughout an organization's entire network.

Techniques described have been instituted at Analog Devices, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Teradyne and many other companies. Numerous in-depth case studies from these and other companies illustrate actual implementations.

Shoji Shiba, formerly of MIT is one of the most respected business consultants in the world. Among his many accolades, he received the 2002 Deming Prize, one of the highest awards in management bestowed in Japan.

"Professor Shiba has been a source of inspiration, experience and knowledge to countless numbers of CQM members, MIT faculty and students and other organizations and companies around the world....The success of his publications, teaching and consulting proves that the principles of TQM are universal, applicable across all cultures and languages. Shiba is a truly great teacher, researcher and innovator ... ."

--Ray Stata, founder and chairman of both Analog Devices and CQM.

DavidWalden, is the retired senior vice president of Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., and former Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Business.

Both Shiba and Walden are well known for their contributions to the Center for Quality Management.

In an environment of diminishing resources, growing enrollment, and increasing expectations of accountability, Lean Higher Education: Increasing the Value and Performance of University Processes, Second Edition provides the understanding and the tools required to return education to the consumers it was designed to serve - the students. It supplies a unifying framework for implementing and sustaining a Lean Higher Education (LHE) transformation at any institution, regardless of size or mission. Using straightforward language, relevant examples, and step-by-step guidelines for introducing Lean interventions, this authoritative resource explains how to involve stakeholders in the delivery of quality every step of the way. The author details a flexible series of steps to help ensure stakeholders understand all critical work processes. He presents a wealth of empirical evidence that highlights successful applications of Lean concepts at major universities and provides proven methods for uncovering and eliminating activities that overburden staff yet contribute little or no added value to stakeholders. Complete with standardized methods for correctly diagnosing workplace problems and implementing appropriate solutions, this valuable reference arms you with the understanding and the tools to effectively balance the needs of all stakeholders. By implementing the Lean practices covered in these pages, your school will be better positioned to provide higher quality education, at reduced costs, with efficient processes that instill pride, maximize value, and respect the long-term interests of your students, faculty, and staff. This second edition contains a substantial update with expanded material and reflects the significant growth of LHE practices in colleges and universities worldwide. Because of advances in best practices, as well as some modest research-based evidence, this second edition includes many enhancements that provide particular value to LHE practitioners and higher education (HE) leaders. Since the initial publication of Lean Higher Education in 2010, the challenges of cost and affordability, competition for students and faculty, and calls for efficiency and accountability have only continued to grow, requiring colleges and universities to pursue more radical and transformative change to ensure their success. This new edition provides a model for change based on more than 50 years of application in business and industry and almost 20 years in HE. It provides the information and evidence demanded by HE leadership to understand and embrace LHE as well as best practices processes and tools for implementing LHE in targeted areas or institution-wide. This book provides a conceptual framework for redesigning any university process, such as admitting students, paying a bill, hiring faculty, or processing a donor gift, in a way that delights the beneficiary of that process, respects the employees who support the process, and reduce the cost of the process. A free companion guide to this book is available here: https://cabaa139-7c62-47ae-af03-e18f51efab1c.filesusr.com/ugd/f5359d_a064ca39f666408f851ffd282eb9a0a7.pdf The goal of this companion guide is to help you get the most out of your reading of Lean Higher Education. The guide is designed to support your deeper understanding and application of LHE whether you are reading the book (a) from cover to cover or select chapters; (b) reading it alone, as a member of a workplace reading group, or as a student in a classroom; (c) facilitating discussions of the chapters in the book; or (d) seeking guidance as you begin your own personal Lean Higher Education journey.

The Innovation Factory takes a fresh look at the fine art of breakthrough innovation. What makes it unique is that it brings together an experienced scholar and a serial entrepreneur who share the same passion for understanding the processes and theories needed to innovate over and over again. The book marries theory with practical examples focusing on the Concept-Knowledge (C-K) Theory developed by the prestigious school Mines ParisTech. For the first time, you will discover the unknown story of the Swatch watch told by Elmar Mock, the creative engineering force behind the Swatch. In this book, he passionately tells how he helped to create this breakthrough innovation that saved the Swiss watch industry in the 1980s. Gilles Garel, a professor of management, relates this tale of epic innovation to C-K theory and both convincingly argue that organizations can channel creativity to develop breakthrough innovations that disrupt markets. Innovation is not just a case of acquiring aptitude. It is also a question of attitude: Innovators strive to remain creative and active. The book provides an overview of the characteristics and essential strengths of the successful Innovation Factory, Creaholic, based in Switzerland. The example of Creaholic helps readers grasp what breakthrough innovation is truly all about. The book's use of vibrant metaphors helps readers easily digest the ideas and concepts presented. The book concludes with thoughts about future directions for the watch industry.

Although office and administrative activities are usually 60 percent of the production costs in most manufacturing organizations, these areas often get excluded during lean initiatives. To achieve lean, office activities must fully support shop floor manufacturing operations to eliminate waste. The adoption of 5S throughout all office and administrative functions is the first step to increase efficiency. In 5S for the Office: Organizing the Workplace to Eliminate Waste, Tom Fabrizio and Don Tapping bring the concepts of the 5S System -- effective tools for the elimination of waste on the shop floor -- into the office environment. The activities at the heart of 5S for the Office (organizing, ordering, cleaning, standardizing, and sustaining all of these) are completely logical. They are the basic rules for managing any effective workplace. However, it is the systematic method with which the 5S system approaches these activities that makes it unique. This book is a blueprint for building a Lean foundation for your office Readers of this book can immediately apply the concepts of 5S to their office and administrative activities, resulting in the elimination of waste, reduced production costs, and increased profits. To introduce the 5S system and sell its use to executives as well as workers, consider purchasing- 5S System: An Introduction DVD Catalog no. PP5934, Adhering to the principle of efficiency that defines this revolutionary and proven system, this video succinctly explains what is involved, who should participate, and what it will take to get started.

Lean - Let's Get It Right!: How to Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement (978-0-367-42991-1, 340939) Shelving Guide: Business & Management / Lean Management This book addresses the root causes of why a majority of Lean transformations have not met expectations. More importantly, it provides the information needed to turn around the failure mechanisms and transform them into critical success factors. Lean - Let's Get It Right! delves into the psychology of change and motivation and clarifies the roles and responsibility changes which are required for alignment with Lean principles. While the author includes a review of Lean principles, the majority of the book either provides more depth of understanding of the principles or highlights how misalignment can thwart Lean transformation efforts. What this provides is not only clarity, but it establishes a solid reference point or framework to guide the Lean strategy. The reader will begin to see how the principles are not simply a random set of characteristics or features of Lean, but are actually a set of fundamental beliefs on which all else is based. Though repeated throughout the book that an organization must develop the specifics of their own Lean roadmap, this book concludes with guidance on making it happen. This book, with its primary focus on people, leadership, and principles, and less so on the details of tools and techniques, can be thought of as providing the few critical missing puzzle pieces to enable an effective Lean transformation.

What is a learning organization? What are the advantages of creating one? Why should a company want to become a learning organization? Where does one start? Learning Organizations: Developing Cultures for Tomorrow's Workplace contains essays by thirty-nine of the most respected practitioners and scholars of this topic. This definitive collection of essays is rich in concept and theory as well as application and example. Lead authors include Harvard's Rosabeth Moss Kanter, London Business School's Professor Emeritus Charles Handy, and MlT's Fred Kofman and Peter Senge. The thirty-two essays in this comprehensive collection are presented in four main parts: 1. Guiding Ideas 2. Theories/Methods/Processes 3. Infrastructure 4. Arenas of Practice

The Strategic Planning and Deployment Excellence System (SPADES) provides a path to long-term success in the environment of rapidly changing technology and business systems. It combines the best of Hoshin Kanri, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), and other proven management and leadership tools and techniques. This book presents a set of tools and techniques for developing and deploying a long-term plan for achieving sustained success. These concepts ensure graphically tracing the strategic planning process from the foundation of organizational principles to the enterprise vision and to the organization's long-term goals. The Scientific Method is the foundation upon which the tools and techniques of SPADES are applied. The Scientific Method begins with an observation of a phenomenon which leads to development of a hypothesis to explain the phenomenon. The hypothesis is then tested and, based on the analysis of the results, then accepted or adjusted as necessary. The testing may then be repeated to verify conclusions. The Deming-Shewhart Cycle of plan-do-check-act (PDCA) is the application of the Scientific Method for control and continual improvement of processes and products. SPADES is the integrated evolution of the PDCA Cycle and QFD to answer the challenges of how to stay competitive, year after year, in a dynamic environment of rapidly changing customer requirements and technology.

In "Accelerated Product Development: Combining Lean and Six Sigma for Peak Performance, " Clifford Fiore provides the blueprint for implementing the key elements for improving the product development process. His innovative and powerful work represents the first book to couple the proven concepts of Lean and Six Sigma with the engineering processes of product development. His results, based on proven strategies and methodologies, enable companies to significantly reduce the time necessary to develop new products, dramatically reduce product cost, and improve product quality.

By reconfiguring your traditional assembly lines into production cells based on one-piece flow, you can drastically reduce your lead time, staffing requirements, and number of defects. Kenichi Sekine studied under the late Shigeo Shingo and is responsible for many recent advances in the deployment of the Toyota Production System in Japan. In this comprehensive book, Sekine provides an in-depth education into the why's and how's of the restructuring process.

Sekine first examines the basic principles of process flow building, then offers detailed case studies of how various industries designed unique one-piece flow systems (parallel, L-shaped, and U-shaped floor plans) to meet their particular needs. One-Piece Flow describes each step in the process of establishing one-piece flow and: (1) provides ample "test your skills" worksheets that guide you through the solution of problems, and (2) includes over 300 illustrations and 14 single-page case studies that show how to cut assembly personnel in various industries.

With this book, plant managers will learn how to eliminate overstaffing waste and build a multi-skilled work force equipped to support JIT manufacturing.

The book includes:
Basic concept of one-piece productionCase studiesProcess razing techniquesU-shaped cells for assembly linesTechniques for removing waste from factoriesEstablishing one-piece flow at a factory that produces small lots on a customer-order basis"Single" delivery at MYNAC

For Florida Power and Light, Hewlett-Packard, and Texas Instruments, policy deployment has created a critical bridge between corporate goals and their company-wide deployment. Hoshin Kanri offers top and middle managers a guide to customizing a policy deployment program especially suited to their company. This book is a compilation of examples of policy deployment and demonstrates how company vision is converted into individual responsibility. It contains practical guidelines, 150 charts and diagrams, and five case studies that illustrate the procedures of Hoshin Kanri. The six steps to advanced process planning are reviewed and include: a five-year vision; one-year plan; deployment to departments; execution; monthly audit; and annual audit. The practice of Hoshin Kanri will enable you to: Align all departmental and individual project goals to corporate goals and eliminate duplication of effort. Communicate to every employee his or her role in achieving the company vision. Closely monitor performance using carefully devised measures of progress. Learn how Hoshin Kanri can increase your company's responsiveness to social, economic, and technical changes through flexible strategic management. (Originally published by the Japanese Standards Association)

There are names in horological history that echo much more than just watches... Such is the case of Jaquet-Droz, 18th Swiss watchmakers with an international horizon, whose ceremonial clocks, prodigious androids, fashionable birdcages, pocket watches with moving scenes or collector's snuffboxes remain the stuff of dreams for passionate enthusiasts. Today, the Maison Jaquet Droz continues to draw its inspiration from this rich heritage in order to reinterpret techniques and aesthetics, pushing back the boundaries of watchmaking and representing a perpetual source of fascination for collectors. Based on the latest research on the subject and published on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-2021), this book offers a deep dive into the history of characters with a captivating journey. Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, in what was then the principality of Neuchatel, Pierre Jaquet-Droz founded a watchmaking workshop and developed it through a combination of technical, artistic and commercial skills enabling it to reach international markets. His son Henry-Louis developed the family business and further diversified production, a significant portion of which found its way to China and its dignitaries, devotees of luxurious and ingenious mechanical marvels. This richly illustrated book aims to enable a rediscovery of their mechanical masterpieces as well as those of the Maison Jaquet Droz, whose rebirth and recent history are recounted here. These splendid historical and contemporary pieces embody a love of technical challenges and a taste for artistic refinement, adhering as much as possible to the sources of inspiration offered by nature. The Worlds of Jaquet Droz thus reveals part of the expansive universe of pre-industrial watchmaking while drawing parallels between past and present productions.

This book tells 101 stories of company efforts to implement the many aspects of flow manufacturing -- including such topics as just-in-time production, total quality control, reorganization of factories into product-focused or customer-focused cells, plants-in-a-plant, material flows by the simplicity of visual kanban, supplier partnerships, quick setup of equipment, cross-training and job rotation of the work force, and many more. The 101 mini-case studies - dubbed "caselets" -- include 26 non-U.S. companies from 12 countries and cover a wide swath of industrial sectors, and include many well-known corporations such as Apple, Campbell Soup, Honeywell, and Boeing. From the 1980s to the present, the author has been taking the message of process improvement and customer-focused excellence far and wide. Most of these travels, usually in connection with delivering a seminar, include brief factory tours in which he compiled detailed notes and then organized them as brief reports - his unvarnished analysis or take on what they do well and what needs improvement. In the main the reports were then sent back to the hosts of the plant tour. These factory tours and these follow-up reports form the basis of the large majority of this book's caselets. Many of the caselets bring to life process-improvement methodologies in detail. With lots of caselets to draw from, the readers will find vivid examples of similar companies and processes within their respective industries. For example, the caselets often include applications of advanced concepts in cost management, employee training, performance management, supply chains, and logistics as well as applications of plant layout, quick setup, material handling, quality assurance, scheduling, ergonomics, and flow analysis.

Using Toyota's principles for product and process development, this book focuses the implementation of the Lean system during the past 10 years in dozens of corporations across various industries. The book highlights all steps on the journey from common trouble area to remarkable results. As it is written by a manager for other managers, it contains real work discoveries and insights. The author provides case studies from many different fields of application. The reader gains insight on US and European companies that successfully streamlined their innovation and product-development processes. These companies have overcome difficult periods and major challenges thanks to the ability to innovate with new Lean methodologies and, above all, a new workplace culture and mindset. The goal of this book is to help managers successfully apply Lean principles in the innovation and development area of their company while benefitting from the author's lessons learned during his many years of capitalized experience. This book provides a comprehensive framework that supports, step-by-step, the successful application of Lean principles in the innovation and development areas of the company. Readers learn how to drastically reduce the time required to develop products and discover and eliminate hidden costs and critical waste while increasing value for customers.

For all those who are interested in horology, whether as a hobby or within the trade, this user-friendly guide is invaluable as a wealth of information for the internal workings of clocks. Eric Smith provides a fully comprehensive manual to the repair of clocks, whether modern or antique. Lucid language accompanies practical diagrams and photographs to bring clarity to what is often a highly complex task. The author recognises the curiosity which many feel about the workings of clocks. It is for this reason that the author has written a guide which does not depict horology as too complex for those outside the trade, but rather as a fascinating and accessible occupation. The ten chapters go through the practical stages of how different clocks work and the tools and materials needed. Pendulum clocks, 30-hour, 8-day and 400-day clocks, chiming, striking, and electric and alarm clocks are all covered in detail. This new revised edition includes a chapter on working with more advanced tools including the lathe. The first chapter addresses the tools and materials which are required for repair, whilst the second chapter provides an explanation of the principles of clock mechanisms. The author subsequently takes the reader through specific aspects of clocks in each chapter, from the pendulums and balance wheels to cases and hands. A chapter on electric clocks gives advice on a significant sector of the clock market. In addition, this volume includes a glossary of terms, a bibliography and a list of suppliers of materials. It is also fully indexed. The author recognises that there is much in horology which cannot be self-taught from a book, yet Clocks and Clock Repairing is both a book to stimulate interest and a handy reference guide.

This book facilitates the access to the various disciplines, highlighting their many points of contacts and making the clear the message that membrane-based sensors represent the future of the research in every field, including chemistry, biology, biomedicine, textiles, and electronics.

Blacksmithing is one of the traditional "lost arts" deserving re-discovery by anyone interested in do-it-yourself building and crafting. Creating one's own apparatus from metal enhances wood-working, stonework, building, and restoration work. Traditional builder and historic preservation consultant Charles McRaven shows how practical, simple, and rewarding the forging of hand tools can be. Having discovered blacksmithing himself when he moved "back to the land" in the 1970s, Charles McRaven tells readers all they need to know to set up their own smithies and begin blacksmithing. Over the years, McRaven claims he has made almost every mistake that can be made while perfecting his skills, and he shares this hard-won knowledge with readers in a readable and humorous style. The simple and clear instructions supplemented by the step-by- step photography, show how to build a forge, how to make and/or acquire tools, and how to use those tools to create utilitarian items of lasting beauty and durability.

Fiber and Textile Engineering in Drug Delivery Systems explains how innovative textile processing methods including rotary spinning, microfluidics, wet spinning and electrospinning can be used to produce novel drug delivery solutions. This topical book provides detailed descriptions of how to produce such new materials for this purpose, with foundational content to help readers from a range of backgrounds understand the context of material selection and design decisions. Emphasis is given to the engineering side of the manufacturing of the textile and its role in drug delivery, but this also acts as a guide to pharmaceutical applications of textile fibers for materials scientists. Drug delivery research is rapidly expanding and experimenting with new materials to drive improved clinical outcomes as the efficacy of the therapeutic molecule is highly dependent on the right choice of carrier system. Recently, fiber based carriers at both nano and micro scales are gaining interest in the scientific community due to ease of manufacturing, high surface area to volume ratio, desirable drug release kinetics and high mechanical strength.

This is a richly imaginative study of machines for writing and reading at the end of the nineteenth century in America. Its aim is to explore writing and reading as culturally contingent experiences, and at the same time to broaden our view of the relationship between technology and textuality.
At the book's heart is the proposition that technologies of inscription are materialized theories of language. Whether they failed (like Thomas Edison's "electric pen") or succeeded (like typewriters), inscriptive technologies of the late nineteenth century were local, often competitive embodiments of the way people experienced writing and reading. Such a perspective cuts through the determinism of recent accounts while arguing for an interdisciplinary method for considering texts and textual production.
Starting with the cacophonous promotion of shorthand alphabets in postbellum America, the author investigates the assumptions--social, psychic, semiotic--that lie behind varying inscriptive practices. The "grooves" in the book's title are the delicate lines recorded and played by phonographs, and readers will find in these pages a surprising and complex genealogy of the phonograph, along with new readings of the history of the typewriter and of the earliest silent films. Modern categories of authorship, representation, and readerly consumption emerge here amid the un- or sub-literary interests of patent attorneys, would-be inventors, and record producers. Modern subjectivities emerge both in ongoing social constructions of literacy and in the unruly and seemingly unrelated practices of American spiritualism, "Coon" songs, and Rube Goldberg-type romanticism.
Just as digital networks and hypertext have today made us more aware of printed books as knowledge structures, the development and dissemination of the phonograph and typewriter coincided with a transformed awareness of oral and inscribed communication. It was an awareness at once influential in the development of consumer culture, literary and artistic experiences of modernity, and the disciplinary definition of the "human" sciences, such as linguistics, anthropology, and psychology. Recorded sound, typescripts, silent films, and other inscriptive media are memory devices, and in today's terms the author offers a critical theory of ROM and RAM for the century before computers.