Lou Ottens, Inventor of Cassette Tape, Career at Philips

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FEMUSINDO.com - Lodewijk Frederik Ottens, or known as Lou Ottens, was a Dutch engineer who invented the cassette tape.

Lou Ottens' discovery of the cassette tape later helped develop the compact disc (CD). Throughout his career, Ottens worked at Philips.

Lodewijk Frederik Ottens was born in Bellingwolde, Netherlands, June 21, 1926, and died in Duizel, Netherlands, March 6, 2021, at the age of 94.

Life and Career

Lou Ottens' abilities in technology did not just form. He had shown his talent and interest in technology and tinkering from an early age.

As a teenager, during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, he made a radio that he would use to secretly listen to Radio Oranje broadcasts.

To avoid being jammed by Nazi Germany, Ottens built a radio with a primitive directional antenna. After the war, Ottens began attending Delft University of Technology, where he studied mechanical engineering.

While attending college, Ottens worked part-time as a design engineer for an X-ray technology plant. He graduated in 1952 and was hired by Philips.

Ottens was Head of Product Development at Philips Hasselt (1960–1969), Director of Philips Hasselt (1969–1972), Director of Philips Audio (1972–1979) and Director of Philips Video (1979–1984).

After retiring, Ottens remained active in technology for many years. He became chairman of the Dutch Logistics Management Association in 1988.

Ottens was one of the interviewees in director Zack Taylor's 2016 documentary Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape, and appeared at its world premiere at the East End Film Festival in London on 24 June 2016. (*)