RIP Hans R. Camenzind - Creator of the 555 Timer IC

via Designing Analog chips

"Hans Camenzind was born and raised in Switzerland and moved to the U.S. after college. He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. After several years doing research in the Boston area, he moved to the West Coast to join Signetics (now Philips) and later started his own company, Interdesign. After heading it for seven years he sold Interdesign to Plessey. Since then he has been an independent design consultant in analog IC design, operating under the name Array Design in San Francisco. During his career at four different companies he designed the first integrated class D amplifier, introduced the phase-locked loop concept to ICs, invented the semicustom IC and created the 555 timer. He has designed 151 standard and custom ICs so far."

via Wikipedia: "Hans R. Camenzind (1934-2012[1]) is an electronics engineer best known for inventing the 555 timer IC in 1970.[2] He has also acquired 20 US patents,[3][4] written numerous books and technical articles,[5][6][7][8] and lectured at the University of Santa Clara.

He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. After several years doing research in the Boston area, he moved to the West Coast to join Signetics[9] (acquired by Philips Semiconductors, now NXP Semiconductors) and later started his own company, Interdesign. After heading it for seven years he sold Interdesign to Ferranti. Since then he has been an independent design consultant in analog IC design.

During his career he has written three textbooks, designed the first integrated class D amplifier, introduced the phase-locked loop concept to ICs, invented the semicustom IC and created the 555 timer. He has designed 140 standard and custom ICs as of 2006.

Camenzind's latest book, Much Ado About Almost Nothing, a general audience book on the history of electronics, was published in February 2007.[10] Other books in publication include Designing Analog Chips."

The Atari Punk Console by Forrest M. Mims III consisted of two 555s. Via wikipedia: "The Atari Punk Console (commonly shortened to APC) is a popular circuit that utilizes two 555 timer ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. The original circuit, called a "Stepped Tone Generator", was published in a Radio Shack booklet: "Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications" in 1980 and then in "Engineer's Mini-Notebook - 555 Circuits" by its designer, Forrest M. Mims III (Siliconcepts, 1984). It was named "Atari Punk Console" (APC) by Kaustic Machines crew because its "low-fi" sounds resemble classic Atari console games from the 1980s, with a square wave output similar to the Atari 2600. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8 ohm speaker."

via this auction
YouTube Uploaded by makemagazine on Sep 13, 2011

http://bit.ly/prZRJ1 "A true classic for DIY synth makers & circuit benders, the Atari Punk Console can kick out some ear-catching square waves. It's easy to build and a lot of fun to play around with. It may be challenging to make traditional music with an APC, but hey - there's enough of that around already, right?" via Create Digital Music where you'll find a good write-up by Peter Kirn.