Maurice Karnaugh is an American engineer and computer scientist best known for creating the Karnaugh map, a method for simplifying Boolean algebra expressions. He developed this graphical tool in the 1950s, and it has been widely used in digital logic design and circuit design to simplify complex logical expressions and minimize the number of gates needed in digital circuits. Karnaugh maps provide a visual way to minimize logical expressions without needing to use algebraic manipulation techniques.
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Maurice Karnaugh developed a map method for simplifying Boolean functions in electric circuit design. A Karnaugh map arranges truth table entries so that neighboring cells differ in one variable. Grouping adjacent entries reveals variables that do not affect an output. For example, Boolean algebra gives , removing dependence on . His 1953 paper also distinguishes a short Boolean algebra expression from an economical physical electric circuit, because the best implementation depends on the available components.[ref]
The Map Method for Synthesis of Combinational Logic Circuits by Maurice Karnaugh. 1953 original paper, opening synthesis discussion and map representation; two-variable identity illustrated here
Physicist and computer scientist associated with the Karnaugh map for simplifying Boolean functions. Wikipedia biography identifies the subject and his logic-design contribution.