The Paul Linden Archive Explore Archive

Timeline

A career in milestones

A chronological path through Paul's career — the milestones that trace his arc from arcade technician to laser projection inventor.

  1. 1968

    "Underwater Cities: Homes of the Future"

    Independent

    As a high-school sophomore, Paul wins the Iowa Hawkeye Science Fair and is a Finalist at the 19th International Science Fair in Detroit with "Underwater Cities: Homes of the Future."

  2. 1974

    Experiments in holography at the University of Kansas

    University of Kansas

    The Sioux City Journal documents Paul and fellow KU senior Barney Wages making holograms — "laser-beam photography" — his earliest known work with lasers.

  3. 1980s

    Director of Entertainment, ShowBiz Pizza Place

    ShowBiz Pizza Place

    Paul directs entertainment technology and programming at ShowBiz — audio, video, lighting, and animatronics — and works on Cyberstar and the Yogi Bear test shows.

  4. 1992

    Linden Laser Systems

    Linden Laser Systems

    Paul continues and commercializes his work — the ProFX and Taurus imagers, the Stingray II projector, holography, and custom installations for clients worldwide.

  5. 1992

    U.S. Patent 5,136,426 — Laser Projection Apparatus

    Advanced Laser Projection

    Paul's foundational laser projection patent is issued — on the birthday of his wife, Elaine.

  6. 1994

    U.S. Patent 5,365,288 — Image Mover

    Advanced Laser Projection

    A second patent, with Lloyd Cross and Duane Dewald, for an optical system that moves and repositions a projected image.

  7. 2000

    Listed in Marquis Who's Who in America

    Linden Laser Systems

    Paul is listed in the 2000 edition of Marquis Who's Who in America, recognizing his career in laser projection and entertainment technology.

This timeline grows as the archive does. Dates shown as decades (for example, “1980s”) mark periods we are still working to pin down.