Quantification and Transmission of Information and Intelligence—History and Outlook [DSP History]

One of the most important achievements of humankind is the ability to communicate remotely, now almost without bounds, in time, in distance, and in modes. The history of the technical development that led to the current achievement is intriguing and inspiring, although confusing at times because the term communication may encompass notions of varying sophistication, from simple delivery of data and reconstruction of information, to measurement of articulation, retention of intelligibility, comprehension, and ultimately inference of intelligence. This article intends to lay these notions on a historical path with technical interpretations that may help to both clarify the existing theories and provoke new thinking to prepare us for the next challenge, whatever that may be.