Robert H. Weitbrecht and James C. Marsters TTY modem

Collection — Carton: 1

Identifier: RITDSA-0075

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Robert H. Weitbrecht James C. Marsters TTY modem collection contains two metallic boxes with electronic circuitry inside that made up the acoustic telephone coupler (now known as a TTY modem) used by Dr. James C. Marsters in the first TTY telephone call between two deaf persons (May 1964).

Dates

Creation: 1964

Creator

Marsters, James C. (Inventor, Person)
Weitbrecht, Robert H. (Inventor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

In May 1964, Dr. James C. Marsters (1924-2009) in Pasadena, California and Robert H. Weitbrecht (1920-1985) in Redwood City, California made history with the first long distance TTY phone call between two deaf persons using a regular telephone line. Weitbrecht came up with the idea of using an acoustic coupler to connect two Teletype machines. The device produced a different audio signal for each key on the teletypewriter.

Over the years to follow, Weitbrecht, a physicist, collaborated with Marsters, an orthodontist, and Andrew Saks, a deaf engineer, to develop improved modems that would work effectively with teletypewriters. The first improved designs included an acoustic coupler that converted audio tones received from the telephone handset resting in a cradle to typed messages on the teleprinter.