Background

Bertram Raphael was born on November 16, 1936, in New York City, New York, United States. He is a son of Morris Raphael and Adella (Leav) Raphael.

Education

In 1957, Bertram received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Then, in 1959, he got a Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Brown University. Later, Raphael continued his education under Marvin Minsky at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mathematics in 1964.

Career

In 1964, Bertram began his career as a consultant at SRI International in Menlo Park. The same year, after receiving a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he found work as a lecturer in Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, a post he held till 1965. In April 1965, Bertram joined SRI International as a full-time worker.

During the period from 1970 till 1973, Raphael served as a director of SRI's Artificial Intelligence Center, where, between 1978 and 1981 he was an executive director of computer resources. In addition, during his stint at SRI, he helped to invent the A* search algorithm, as well as to develop Shakey the robot, that was the first general-purpose mobile robot to be able to reason about its own actions. Also, between 1970 and 1971, Bertram directed work on the robot.

From 1973 to 1974, Raphael acted as a Fulbright-Hayes Senior Lecturer at Vienna University of Technology. Beginning in 1980 until 1990, Raphael held a post of a research manager at Hewlett-Packard. In 1981-1983, Bertram worked as a director of computer science laboratory at Hewlett-Packard Labs in Palo Alto. In 1983, he began serving as a director of research and development of information resources at Hewlett-Packard, a position he held till 1986, when he was appointed a manager of technical analysis in Cupertino, California.

Later, between 1990 and 1997, Bertram, together with his wife, Anne, directed Compass Point Travel Inc. in Mountain View, California.

During his career, Bertram also served as an artificial intelligence consultant at various organizations and governments, including the Republic of China, Australia and Holland. In addition, he worked as a travel technology consultant until his retirement about 2006.

Moreover, Bertram lectured at the University of California, Los Angeles, and acted as the first aid instructor at the American Red Cross in Palo Alto.

Achievements

• Bertram Raphael is a renowned computer scientist, who helped to invent the A* search algorithm and contributed to the development of Shakey the robot. Also, he is the author of the book "The Thinking Computer: Mind Inside" Matter" (1976).

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Thinking Computer: Mind Inside Matter

    (This work explores the present and future uses and capabi...)

    1976

Membership

Bertram is a member of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, Association for Computing Machinery, Sigma Xi and Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association.

Interests

• Traveling, playing old-time music on the fiddle

• Sport & Clubs

  Skiing

Connections

Bertram married Anne Mildred (Wagner) Raphael on May 27, 1962. Their marriage produced two children - Glen Francis and Katherine Liuba. Katherine died in 1990.

Father:

Morris Raphael

Mother:

Adella (Leav) Raphael

child:

Katherine Liuba Raphael

child:

Glen Francis Raphael

Wife:

Anne Mildred (Wagner) Raphael

mentor:

Marvin Minsky

colleague:

Nils John Nilsson

Bertram Raphael collaborated with Nils John Nilsson on the creation of what became known as the A* algorithm.