Hermann von Helmholtz

Hermann von Helmholtz was a German physician and physicist who made significant contributions to several widely varied areas of modern science. In physiology and psychology, he is known for his mathematics of the eye, theories of vision, ideas on the visual perception of space, color vision research, and on the sensation of tone, perception of sound, and empiricism in the perception of space.

Early Life and Education

Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz was born on August 31, 1821, in Potsdam, Prussia (now Germany). His father, Ferdinand Helmholtz, was a teacher of philosophy and literature in Potsdam's Gymnasium, while his mother, Caroline Penn, was a descendant of a well-known military family.

Helmholtz attended the Royal Friedrich-Wilhelm Institute of Medicine and Surgery in Berlin, where he earned his medical degree in 1843.

Career and Contributions

Helmholtz served as a military doctor after graduation, during which time he conducted his research on the theory of vision. In 1849, he was appointed as a professor at the University of Königsberg, where he worked on the conservation of energy.

In 1855, he moved to the University of Bonn and in 1871 to the University of Berlin. He made significant contributions to the fields of thermodynamics, electrodynamics, and statistical mechanics.

Helmholtz is also known for his work in optics, including the invention of the ophthalmoscope, an instrument used to examine the inside of the human eye.

Death and Legacy

Helmholtz died on September 8, 1894. His work continues to influence a variety of fields, including physics, philosophy, psychology, music, visual perception, and more.

See Also

• Physics
• Physiology
• Psychology
• Optics
• Ophthalmoscope

References

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  Helmholtz's polyphonic siren, Hunterian Museum, Glasgow

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  Helmholtz in 1848

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  Hermann von Helmholtz

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  Hermann von Helmholtz

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  Hermann von Helmholtz

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  Hermann von Helmholtz

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  Helmholtz resonator

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  Ludwig Knaus - Der Physiker Hermann von Helmholtz (1881)

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  Hermann von Helmholtz statue in front of Humboldt University, Berlin