Larry Roberts
ARPA programme manager who designed and led the ARPANET
- Lived
- 81 yrs
- 1937 – 2018
- Works listed
- 1
- Thesis
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 2012
- Profile views
- 3
- 0 followers
Larry Roberts was an American engineer who, as programme manager at ARPA in the late 1960s, designed and oversaw the ARPANET, the first large packet-switched computer network and forerunner of the internet. He later founded Telenet, an early commercial packet network.
Biography
MIT
Roberts earned his degrees at MIT. His 1963 PhD on machine perception of three-dimensional solids is considered a founding work of computer vision and 3D graphics. In 1965 he connected computers in Massachusetts and California over a phone line, showing the need for packet switching.
ARPANET
Recruited to ARPA by Robert Taylor in 1966, Roberts wrote the plan for the ARPANET, choosing packet switching and small interface computers (IMPs). The first four nodes were connected in 1969.
Telenet
In 1973 he left to become CEO of Telenet, one of the first commercial packet-switching networks, and helped develop the X.25 standard.
Later life
He founded several networking companies. He shared the 2001 Draper Prize and died in 2018.
Timeline
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1937
Born in Westport, Connecticut, United States
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1963
PhD from MIT
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1965
Long-distance computer link experiment
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1966
Joins ARPA
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1967
Presents the ARPANET plan
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1969
First ARPANET nodes
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1973
CEO of Telenet
-
2018
Dies
-
2018
Died, aged 81
Notable works
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1963
Machine Perception of Three-Dimensional Solids Thesis
Awards and honours
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Charles Stark Draper Prize
2001
-
Princess of Asturias Award
2002
-
Internet Hall of Fame
2012
Did you know?
-
1
He was known for his speed-reading.
-
2
His 3D graphics thesis is cited in computer vision.
-
3
He initially was reluctant to leave research for ARPA.
Connections
Related people
-
Leonard Kleinrock
Science · UCLA scientist whose lab sent the first message over the ARPANET
ARPANET pioneer
-
Bob Kahn
Science · Co-inventor of TCP/IP and architect of the internet’s design
ARPANET engineer
-
Robert Taylor
Technology · Research manager who launched the ARPANET and led Xerox PARC’s computer lab
Recruited him to ARPA
-
Paul Baran
Technology · RAND engineer who devised packet switching for networks that survive attack
Packet-switching pioneer
Frequently asked
Who is Larry Roberts?
Larry Roberts was an American engineer who, as programme manager at ARPA in the late 1960s, designed and oversaw the ARPANET, the first large packet-switched computer network and forerunner of the internet. He later founded Telenet, an early commercial packet network.
When did Larry Roberts die?
Larry Roberts died on 26 December 2018 at the age of 81.
Where is Larry Roberts from?
Larry Roberts was born in Westport, Connecticut, United States.
What is Larry Roberts known for?
Larry Roberts is best known for Designing the ARPANET; founding Telenet; early 3D computer graphics.
What awards has Larry Roberts received?
Notable honours include Charles Stark Draper Prize (2001), Princess of Asturias Award (2002), Internet Hall of Fame (2012).
References
- Larry Roberts (computer scientist) — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Larry Roberts (computer scientist) — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Official website. packet.cc. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Larry Roberts (computer scientist) (Q92935) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Larry Roberts (computer scientist)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Larry Roberts.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/larry-roberts
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