NEW YORK (Kyodo) Norio Ohga, former president and chairman of Sony Corp., and former Pioneer Corp. engineer Ken Kai are among the 2004 class of 11 inductees to the prestigious Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame, the Consumer Electronics Association said Monday.
Ohga is credited with playing a leading role in the widespread use of tape recorders by making cassette tapes available for use in conjunction with home appliance makers worldwide, the CEA said.
Kai was involved in the development of laser disks at Pioneer, a Tokyo-based manufacturer of audio equipment.
A panel comprising 17 prominent industry professionals and media members selected the 2004 class, based on their integrity, character and impact on the consumer electronics industry, according to the CEA.
The 11 individuals, "whose leadership and innovations have played a significant role in shaping the consumer electronics industry," also include Steven Wozniak, cofounder of Apple Computer Inc., the CEA said.