Titanic Disaster – IEEE Share Retrospective Technological Insights

IEEE experts comment on a century of technical heritage & innovation since loss of the Titanic

A hundred years after the loss of the RMS Titanic, members of IEEE – the world's largest technical professional organization – share their perspectives on the role that technology played during the hours following the collision, and the new technologies that were sparked by the tragedy.

"In 1912, the Titanic was the pinnacle of maritime technology," said Gordon Day, IEEE President and CEO. "It had the most advanced shipboard wireless available and, were it not for that, few if any passengers would have survived.  Had nearby ships been similarly equipped, and had it been the custom to operate communications systems around the clock, more passengers would probably have been saved.  Over time, the recognition of what might have been led to substantially improved equipment, better protocols, and international standards for communications at sea."

The IEEE cites technological innovations in the fields of the detection of maritime hazards, deep-sea discovery as well as technology in film making, that were all to be spurred by the Titanic's tragic loss.

An IEEE 'Spectrum' article on the Titanic's role in radio reform is available here.