How a Proud Father Changed the World of Communication Forever

For anyone under the age of 30, life before cell phones probably seems like the dark ages. The thought of not being able to snap a photo and immediately post it on their social media or send it to a friend probably gives a lot of young people anxiety. Instagram alone has over 10 million users.

I remember having to take photos with an actual camera, place the used film in an envelope, drop it in the bin, and then wait a week before returning to pick up the photos, most of which were terrible. Everyone I knew had stacks and stacks of photo albums because that was the only way to store your priceless memories.

I don’t remember the first photo that I took with a cell phone, but I’m sure it was of something dumb. Philippe Kahn, however, wanted to take a photo of something so precious that he actually invented the cell phone camera. The first cell phone photo ever taken was of his newborn daughter, who was still adjusting to life in the outside world of the maternity ward.

Philippe Kahn

Kahn was born in 1952 in Paris, France, to Jewish immigrants. His mother, Claire Monis, was an Auschwitz survivor and a lieutenant in the French resistance, while his father was a self-educated mechanical engineer. Kahn studied mathematics at the ETH Zurich in Switzerland and at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France, where he received his master’s degree. While only a student, Kahn developed software for the MICRAL, which is the first-ever microprocessor-based personal computer.

After joining the workforce, Kahn founded four software companies, Borland in 1982, Starfish Software in 1994, LightSurf Technologies in 1998, and Fullpower Technologies in 2005. His companies focused on technology ranging from wireless synchronization to wearable technology. As many contributions as Kahn has made to the tech world during his career, it was a personal endeavor that cemented his place in modern technological history.

The Birth of Kahn’s Daughter

In 1997, when the internet was only four years old, Kahn was waiting in the maternity ward while his wife was in labor. As he waited and searching for something to pass the time, the true entrepreneur in Kahn came to life. Using items he had with him, he rigged up a system so that he could take a photo of the baby on her arrival and share it instantly with his friends and family.

Kahn used a Casio QV-10, which was the first personal camera with an LCD screen. He then connected his cellphone, a Motorola Startac, to his laptop, using the speakerphone that he ripped from his car. He used a long wire to connect the camera to his laptop, and his laptop was connected to the server at his home.

As soon as baby Sophie arrived, Kahn prepared to take her photo. He held her in one hand and the camera in the other and snapped her precious picture. The photo was instantly sent to the emails of over 2000 people. Among the responses congratulating Kahn and his family were questions of how in the world did he send a photo directly from the delivery room.

Kahn Today

Today, Kahn is still the CEO of Fullpower-AI, according to his LinkedIn profile, and currently the inventor of 235+ issued patents. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and German. He loves his family, his dogs, AI, and Machine Learning.

He also participates in professional sailing. His sailing team, Pegasus Racing, competes in championships around the world. In addition, he and his wife Sonia founded the Lee-Kahn Foundation, which sponsors local and national non-profit organizations that work to improve access to health care, education, and the arts.

His photo was named one of the 100 most influential photos of all time by Time Magazine in 2016.

***Story originally published on Medium.com by the author***