Black History Month: African Americans who changed the Tech World: Marc Hannah

Tech here to present you with another African American innovator who changed the IT...Movie World!

Marc Hannah

Born October 13, 1956
Electrical Engineer, Computer Graphics Designer





Where you amazed at the special affects you saw in Jurassic Park or Terminator 2? What about  what you saw in The Hunt for Red October or Field of Dreams?  How about the CGI you saw in such cartoons as Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast? Well meet Marc Hannah, the man behind the  computers and programs Personal IRIS, Indigo 1 and 2, and Indy Graphics which were used to make not only these movies along with many others, but television commercials as well.  For example, the helmets in the intro graphics you see when tuning into Monday Night Football.  

Hannah invented the Geometry Engine, which is the computer chip that allows an image on screen to be rotated in three dimensions!  He started the project with his instructor Jim Clark.  In 1982, they took the chip and along with five others they founded Silicon Graphics which is now known as SGI.
 In1986, he was named the company's principal scientist for the programs he developed. SGI computers have cameo-ed in many movies just like its graphics have been. SGI effects can be seen in Michael Jackson's videos Black and White and Remember the time!  The same technology has also been used for military applications and training.

And did you own a Nintendo 64?   Well Marc Hannah was also instrumental in its development.  Remember those commercials that talked abut the advanced 3D graphics of the system?  You got to see good ol Mario run around in the large 3D world and Donkey and Diddy Kong platform their way through 3d backgrounds.  Well the Nintendo 64 was basically one of SGI's low end computers crammed into a home video game system.

Marc Hannah has been dubbed the Special Effects Whiz over his career at SGI. Besides SGI, He has also helped and consulted with other companies like Universe Digital Solutions and Pulsent. He is even partial owner of a construction company.  Hannah is the recipient of 13 patents and many other wards and honors.

Know Your History.