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How did Robert Kahn contribute to ARPANET and the Internet?

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Robert Kahn is a foundational figure in the development of modern networking, recognized as a principal architect of the Internet.1

Regarding his contributions to ARPANET, Kahn worked at Bolt Beranek & Newman, where he helped design the Interface Message Processor to mediate between the network and host computers. He also played a key role in the network's 1972 public debut by helping organize the first International Conference on Computer Communication.1

Transitioning to DARPA, Kahn addressed the challenge of connecting disparate military networks. Working with Vinton Cerf, he developed TCP/IP, the fundamental protocol that enables data to be broken into packets and transmitted to the correct destination. This protocol established the Internet’s open architecture, allowing diverse systems to interconnect, a achievement for which he received the A.M. Turing Award.12