Bob Widlar – The Life of an Engineering Legend

Sam Sattel October 3, 2017

12 min read

Autodesk Fusion Logo

Elevate your design and manufacturing processes with Autodesk Fusion

Warning: Content May Be Offensive or Disturbing to Some Audiences.

Rebel With a Cause: Bob Widlar – Engineer, Artist, Prankster, and Legend

Bob Widlar wasn’t just a good hardware engineer; he was a legendary one. Even today, he’s considered one of the most famous hardware engineers to ever live. Not just for his genius designs, but for his rebellious and entrepreneurial personality that seemed to exist in a universe of its own. For over a decade, Bob ruled the world of Analog IC design with famous designs like uA702, the first linear IC operational amplifier. Or LM109, the first high-power voltage regulator. We’re not just here to rattle off all of Bob’s landmark achievements though. We think Widlar would appreciate a more well-rounded look at his life. From integrated circuits to sheep and more, this is the story of Bob Widlar as we know it.

Bob Wasn’t Just an Engineer

Bo Lojek, the author of History of Semiconductor Engineering, described Bob as, “more artist than engineer…in the environment where Human Relations Departments define what engineers can and cannot comment about, it is very unlikely that we will see his kind again.”

“more artist than engineer…in the environment where Human Relations Departments define what engineers can and cannot comment about, it is very unlikely that we will see his kind again.”

bob-widlar-hates-digital
This is Bob. Bob wasn’t a fan of digital electronics. (Image source)

Bob is the kind of engineer that I always pictured in my head, wild-eyed in both mind and actions, but a true genius at heart. No, he didn’t sport a Gandalf-like beard from the likes of Bob Pease, but Bob’s circuits seemed to manifest from some other dimension of reality and spontaneous creativity.

bob-widlar-circuit
Bob designed circuits that bordered on art. (Image source)

The artistic and bohemian side of Bob’s personality fit in with the times. In the late 1960s and 70s, the semiconductor industry was like a scene from a Wild West movie. Bars were packed day and night, circuit innovations were pouring out like a beautiful waterfall, and in the center of all that change and chaos was Bob.

By all means, Bob enjoyed his alcohol. There are stories floating around of Bob refusing to give a speech until he was provided his allotment of scotch or wine. But compared to the wild times of the day, the Bob we envision now might not have been all that crazy when you look at the environment he worked in.

bob-widlar-drinks
Bob always enjoyed a good drink, whatever might be in that “Coke.” (Image source)

As the History of Semiconductor Engineering describes, “Bob was a fiercely independent individual, very happy to be by himself, and he did everything in a stunning way, which was absolutely natural to him, but completely weird to so-called ‘normal people’.”

In short, Bob didn’t really give a damn about what others thought about him. I suppose when you’re the one shaping an entire industry, that mentality is just a given.

Bob’s Passion for Electronics Started Early

It’s challenging to dig up any personal details from Bob’s early life, and he was reported to rarely speak of his early years. What we do know just scratches the surface, but shows that electronics played a huge role in Bob’s early life.

Robert Widlar was born on November 30, 1937, in Cleveland to mother Mary Vithous and father Walter J. Widlar. His father was a self-taught radio engineer who worked at a local radio station. He would leave behind a legacy of designing ultra-high frequency transmitters.

Since his birth, electronics were all around Bob, and so he followed what his environment presented to him and pursued a passion for engineering. At the age of 15, Bob was featured in a local newspaper as an electronics designer who repaired radio and TV sets. Bob also reportedly enjoyed playing radio pranks on the Cleveland police, but details of those pranks are scarce.

bob-widlar-at-16
Bob again at the age of 16 without the Widlar Salute. (Image source)

Bob’s budding passion for electronics fully matured when he joined the United States Air Force in 1958. Here Bob was responsible for instructing his fellow servicemen in electronic equipment. This was also the time when he wrote his first book, Introduction to Semiconductor Devices

What’s interesting to note is that some sources say Bob’s “liberal mind” wasn’t a good match for the military environment. However, one of his yearly Air Force performance reviews tells a different story. Of first interest is a review of Bob’s strengths, where his superiors explicitly noted his superior electronics and communication skills:

“A/2C Widlar is perhaps the outstanding electronics technician assigned to Course ABR33130. His background in the field of electronics as a civilian and his present endeavours in off duty educational pursuits serve to put him “head and shoulders” above the average technicians. He demonstrates a willingness to assist his fellow instructors, who looks to him for guidance on complex electronics problems. Airman Widlar is not satisfied with mediocrity in his efforts and constantly strives for perfection. He has an above average ability to use clear concise words to express himself.”

We then get to the recommended areas of improvement for Airman Widlar. This part starts to draw connections to his later charged personality and depicts a man simply growing into his own skin and maturing:

“Airman Widlar, in the past, has tended to dramatize his frustrations at inefficiencies that exist, to a point that he creates an impression of immaturity. He has improved greatly in this area, toning down his approach to problems, and has evidenced a willingness to accept that which he cannot control. No further recurrence of this comment are anticipated.”

For reasons largely unknown, Bob chose to end his Air Force service in 1961. From there, we find Bob joining the Ball Brothers Research Corporation in Boulder, Colorado where he developed analog and digital equipment for NASA. It was also during this time that Bob completed his studies at the University of Colorado, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1963.

Bob Shapes an Industry Around His Designs

It’s in the 1960s and 1970s where Bob’s genius and renown come into full swing. We won’t bother rattling off all of Bob’s great achievements, as other articles have already done that justice. However, we will mention a couple that deserves to be mentioned over and over again:

1964

Bob catapults the semiconductor industry into a $10 billion success thanks to his LM101 operational amplifier design. During this time Bob also created the building blocks for linear IC design documented in what is now the Widlar current source, Widlar bandgap voltage reference, and the Widlar output stage. Without these contributions, our progress in IC development would not be where it is today.

widlar-current-source
A version of the Widlar current source with bipolar transistors. (Image source)

1967

Bob releases his design for the industry’s first high-power voltage regulator, the LM109, with a twist. During this period there was a debate about whether it was even possible to build a high-power regulator on one chip. To settle the matter, Bob wrote a letter to several magazines which stated that it was simply impossible to produce this design, with plenty of facts and figures to justify killing the effort.

Bob was already an engineering legend by this time, so his letter held weight, and the issue seemed to be settled. However, cut to two months later and Bob introduces his design for the LM109, with all of the features he said was impossible in his letter. Widlar pulled a fast one on the industry and profited greatly.  Classic Bob.

lm109-circuit
The LM109 is still alive and well in today’s linear regulators. (Image source)

It was during Bob’s employment at Fairchild Semiconductor that he released several other landmark designs. We have uA709, a high-performance opamp, which improved on the original design of uA702 and became a flagship product of Fairchild for years. During this time Bob also released his design for the first integrated voltage regulator, uA723.

Bob Shapes an Industry Around His Personality

Bob wasn’t just a genius designer; he also embodied a personality that gave a characteristic Widlar Salute to the rest of the semiconductor industry.

widlar-salute
The infamous Widlar Salute. (Image source)

Bob’s wild personality came during a time in Silicon Valley where counter-culture was all the rage, and Widlar just happened to be in the right place at the right time with his rebellious, entrepreneurial spirit.

national-semiconductor-ad
An ad published by National Semiconductor in the 70s with Bob’s name written all over it.

When you strip away the attitude, you get a Widlar that cared deeply about the designs he created. At National Semiconductor Bob worked directly with his customers and even wrote his own app notes and data sheets. According to Bob, if you weren’t “designing for minimum phone calls,” then you were doing something wrong.

Bob’s unique designs and ‘no-bull’ attitude propelled him through a lightning-like career of success and fortune. He entered Fairchild in the 60s claiming that analog was nonsense, only to leave the company years down the road positioning Fairchild as a leader in linear integrated circuits. Bob later moved on to Molectro, owned by National Semiconductor, where he transformed the parent company into an analog design giant.

bob-at-national-semiconductor
Here’s Bob at National Semiconductor in 1967. (Image source)

At the age of 33, Bob ended his career, cashing out his stock options from National Semiconductor to retire in Mexico. Bob’s creative brilliance soon remerged when he became a contractor for National Semiconductor in the 1980s. It was in the following years where he designed a number of advanced linear integrated circuits, including the first ultra-low voltage operational amplifier, LM10.

lm10-circuit
LM10, the first ultra low voltage opamp. (Image source)

Bob’s Love for Pranks and Antics

While Bob was known as a genius engineer and entrepreneurial rebel, no story is complete without recounting a few of Bob’s legendary pranks. Throughout his years of engineering, Bob lived as a free-thinking prankster that was a nightmare for HR departments.

Bob’s feverish personality and humor inspired other analog engineers like Bob Pease and Jim Williams to keep his spirit alive even after his passing. Below you’ll find three of our most favorite pranks, and antics carried out during Bob’s career, but these are by no means exhaustive. Enjoy them in writing, because you’ll never see this kind of stuff pulled in today’s sterile corporate environments.

bob-pease
Bob Pease kept Widlar’s spirit alive until his passing in 2011. (Image source)

The Hassler Circuit

Widlar was a soft-spoken man and didn’t care for loud noises in his office. His solution? The Hassler Circuit. When someone came into Bob’s office to hassle him and started talking loudly, the device would detect the audio, convert it into a high frequency, and playback the converted sound.

hassler-circuit
A modern rendition of the Hassler Circuit. (Image source)

For the visitor, the louder they talked, the louder the whining pitch from the Hassler Circuit would get. Visitors would notice this strange ringing, stop talking, and suddenly the sound disappeared. Lesson learned.

Borrowing Sheep for Lawn Trimming

In the 1980s National Semiconductor announced that it was trimming down on lawn maintenance to save money. Bob’s response? He bought (some stories say he borrowed) a sheep, packed it into the back of his Mercedes-Benz convertible, and brought it to the front lawn of National’s office. Instant grass cutting. Twenty minutes later a news report from San Jose Mercury News strolls by to take pictures of the event, and the story makes headlines. It also pissed off Bob’s employer in the process.

widlar-sheep-car
There’s Bob and his sheep, note the Mercedes parked on the lawn. (Image source)

Widlarizing Faulty Components

Bob might have been a soft-spoken man, but he wasn’t opposed to making noise when frustration warranted it. There were times when Bob would waste an entire day on a circuit that didn’t work because of a faulty component. To make sure this component never terrorized another circuit, Bob would take the part over to an anvil in the office and beat it senseless with a hammer until it resembled dust. Widlarizing bad parts became a legend.

the-widlarizer
“How do you Widlarize something? You take it over to the anvil part of the vice and you beat on it with a hammer, until it is all crunched down to tiny little pieces, so small that you don’t even have to sweep it off the floor. It sure makes you feel better. And you know that that component will never vex you again.” ~ Bob Pease (Image source)

Keeping Bob’s Legacy Alive

Bob Widlar left us early at the age of 53 when he died of a heart attack while jogging in Puerto Vallarta. During his later years, Bob was into fitness as he curbed his alcohol habit. Some say that Bob died drunk, while others closest to the situation say otherwise, which might have amazed some of his colleagues.

To keep Bob’s legacy alive, we found a modern version of the Hassler Circuit created by Craig and Analog Zoo. Bob’s original schematic was never published for the Hassler, so Craig took it upon himself to recreate it:

the-hassler-schematic
The Hassler Schematic, recreated by Analog Zoo.

You can read all about the detail of the Hassler schematic and see the finished circuit in action at Analog Zoo blog.

A Living Legacy

The passing of Bob Widlar left behind not only a transformed semiconductor industry but also a way of engineering that just isn’t the same today. We often spend our years in EE education learning about Faraday, Ohm, and Ampère, but never really connect with the more recent engineering personalities of our times like Widlar. Bob shows off a truly unique side of engineering that borders on art, and if there’s one thing he was known for, it was that he never designed an obvious circuit.

More importantly, though, Bob’s personality triggers a sort of reminisce about the days of free expression and personality in our workplace. In an age where everything has gone digital and the world functions on 1s and 0s, it might just be that we need more personalities like Bob Widlar to inject life into our modern engineering cultures.

Keep Bob’s spirit alive, design your very own Hassler Circuit in EAGLE! Try Autodesk EAGLE for free today.

Full-access Fusion Trial
Unlock all of Fusion's advanced features and functionality - free for 30 days.
Start Free Trial

Tags and Categories

Eagle EDA

Get Fusion updates in your inbox

By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive the Fusion newsletter and acknowledge the Autodesk Privacy Statement.

______
icon-svg-close-thick

Cookie preferences

Your privacy is important to us and so is an optimal experience. To help us customize information and build applications, we collect data about your use of this site.

May we collect and use your data?

Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement.

Strictly necessary – required for our site to work and to provide services to you

These cookies allow us to record your preferences or login information, respond to your requests or fulfill items in your shopping cart.

Improve your experience – allows us to show you what is relevant to you

These cookies enable us to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we use to deliver information and experiences tailored to you. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not be available for you.

Customize your advertising – permits us to offer targeted advertising to you

These cookies collect data about you based on your activities and interests in order to show you relevant ads and to track effectiveness. By collecting this data, the ads you see will be more tailored to your interests. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

icon-svg-close-thick

THIRD PARTY SERVICES

Learn more about the Third-Party Services we use in each category, and how we use the data we collect from you online.

icon-svg-hide-thick

icon-svg-show-thick

Strictly necessary – required for our site to work and to provide services to you

Qualtrics
We use Qualtrics to let you give us feedback via surveys or online forms. You may be randomly selected to participate in a survey, or you can actively decide to give us feedback. We collect data to better understand what actions you took before filling out a survey. This helps us troubleshoot issues you may have experienced. Qualtrics Privacy Policy
Akamai mPulse
We use Akamai mPulse to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Akamai mPulse Privacy Policy
Digital River
We use Digital River to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Digital River Privacy Policy
Dynatrace
We use Dynatrace to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Dynatrace Privacy Policy
Khoros
We use Khoros to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Khoros Privacy Policy
Launch Darkly
We use Launch Darkly to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Launch Darkly Privacy Policy
New Relic
We use New Relic to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. New Relic Privacy Policy
Salesforce Live Agent
We use Salesforce Live Agent to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Salesforce Live Agent Privacy Policy
Wistia
We use Wistia to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Wistia Privacy Policy
Tealium
We use Tealium to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Tealium Privacy Policy
Upsellit
We use Upsellit to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Upsellit Privacy Policy
CJ Affiliates
We use CJ Affiliates to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. CJ Affiliates Privacy Policy
Commission Factory
We use Commission Factory to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Commission Factory Privacy Policy
Google Analytics (Strictly Necessary)
We use Google Analytics (Strictly Necessary) to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Google Analytics (Strictly Necessary) Privacy Policy
Typepad Stats
We use Typepad Stats to collect data about your behaviour on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our platform to provide the most relevant content. This allows us to enhance your overall user experience. Typepad Stats Privacy Policy
Geo Targetly
We use Geo Targetly to direct website visitors to the most appropriate web page and/or serve tailored content based on their location. Geo Targetly uses the IP address of a website visitor to determine the approximate location of the visitor’s device. This helps ensure that the visitor views content in their (most likely) local language.Geo Targetly Privacy Policy
SpeedCurve
We use SpeedCurve to monitor and measure the performance of your website experience by measuring web page load times as well as the responsiveness of subsequent elements such as images, scripts, and text.SpeedCurve Privacy Policy
Qualified
Qualified is the Autodesk Live Chat agent platform. This platform provides services to allow our customers to communicate in real-time with Autodesk support. We may collect unique ID for specific browser sessions during a chat. Qualified Privacy Policy

icon-svg-hide-thick

icon-svg-show-thick

Improve your experience – allows us to show you what is relevant to you

Google Optimize
We use Google Optimize to test new features on our sites and customize your experience of these features. To do this, we collect behavioral data while you’re on our sites. This data may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, your Autodesk ID, and others. You may experience a different version of our sites based on feature testing, or view personalized content based on your visitor attributes. Google Optimize Privacy Policy
ClickTale
We use ClickTale to better understand where you may encounter difficulties with our sites. We use session recording to help us see how you interact with our sites, including any elements on our pages. Your Personally Identifiable Information is masked and is not collected. ClickTale Privacy Policy
OneSignal
We use OneSignal to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by OneSignal. Ads are based on both OneSignal data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that OneSignal has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to OneSignal to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. OneSignal Privacy Policy
Optimizely
We use Optimizely to test new features on our sites and customize your experience of these features. To do this, we collect behavioral data while you’re on our sites. This data may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, your Autodesk ID, and others. You may experience a different version of our sites based on feature testing, or view personalized content based on your visitor attributes. Optimizely Privacy Policy
Amplitude
We use Amplitude to test new features on our sites and customize your experience of these features. To do this, we collect behavioral data while you’re on our sites. This data may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, your Autodesk ID, and others. You may experience a different version of our sites based on feature testing, or view personalized content based on your visitor attributes. Amplitude Privacy Policy
Snowplow
We use Snowplow to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Snowplow Privacy Policy
UserVoice
We use UserVoice to collect data about your behaviour on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our platform to provide the most relevant content. This allows us to enhance your overall user experience. UserVoice Privacy Policy
Clearbit
Clearbit allows real-time data enrichment to provide a personalized and relevant experience to our customers. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID.Clearbit Privacy Policy
YouTube
YouTube is a video sharing platform which allows users to view and share embedded videos on our websites. YouTube provides viewership metrics on video performance. YouTube Privacy Policy

icon-svg-hide-thick

icon-svg-show-thick

Customize your advertising – permits us to offer targeted advertising to you

Adobe Analytics
We use Adobe Analytics to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, and your Autodesk ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Adobe Analytics Privacy Policy
Google Analytics (Web Analytics)
We use Google Analytics (Web Analytics) to collect data about your behavior on our sites. This may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. We use this data to measure our site performance and evaluate the ease of your online experience, so we can enhance our features. We also use advanced analytics methods to optimize your experience with email, customer support, and sales. Google Analytics (Web Analytics) Privacy Policy
AdWords
We use AdWords to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by AdWords. Ads are based on both AdWords data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that AdWords has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to AdWords to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. AdWords Privacy Policy
Marketo
We use Marketo to send you more timely and relevant email content. To do this, we collect data about your online behavior and your interaction with the emails we send. Data collected may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, email open rates, links clicked, and others. We may combine this data with data collected from other sources to offer you improved sales or customer service experiences, as well as more relevant content based on advanced analytics processing. Marketo Privacy Policy
Doubleclick
We use Doubleclick to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Doubleclick. Ads are based on both Doubleclick data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Doubleclick has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Doubleclick to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Doubleclick Privacy Policy
HubSpot
We use HubSpot to send you more timely and relevant email content. To do this, we collect data about your online behavior and your interaction with the emails we send. Data collected may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, email open rates, links clicked, and others. HubSpot Privacy Policy
Twitter
We use Twitter to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Twitter. Ads are based on both Twitter data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Twitter has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Twitter to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Twitter Privacy Policy
Facebook
We use Facebook to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Facebook. Ads are based on both Facebook data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Facebook has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Facebook to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Facebook Privacy Policy
LinkedIn
We use LinkedIn to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by LinkedIn. Ads are based on both LinkedIn data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that LinkedIn has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to LinkedIn to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. LinkedIn Privacy Policy
Yahoo! Japan
We use Yahoo! Japan to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Yahoo! Japan. Ads are based on both Yahoo! Japan data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Yahoo! Japan has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Yahoo! Japan to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Yahoo! Japan Privacy Policy
Naver
We use Naver to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Naver. Ads are based on both Naver data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Naver has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Naver to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Naver Privacy Policy
Quantcast
We use Quantcast to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Quantcast. Ads are based on both Quantcast data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Quantcast has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Quantcast to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Quantcast Privacy Policy
Call Tracking
We use Call Tracking to provide customized phone numbers for our campaigns. This gives you faster access to our agents and helps us more accurately evaluate our performance. We may collect data about your behavior on our sites based on the phone number provided. Call Tracking Privacy Policy
Wunderkind
We use Wunderkind to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Wunderkind. Ads are based on both Wunderkind data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Wunderkind has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Wunderkind to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Wunderkind Privacy Policy
ADC Media
We use ADC Media to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by ADC Media. Ads are based on both ADC Media data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that ADC Media has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to ADC Media to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. ADC Media Privacy Policy
AgrantSEM
We use AgrantSEM to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by AgrantSEM. Ads are based on both AgrantSEM data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that AgrantSEM has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to AgrantSEM to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. AgrantSEM Privacy Policy
Bidtellect
We use Bidtellect to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Bidtellect. Ads are based on both Bidtellect data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Bidtellect has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Bidtellect to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Bidtellect Privacy Policy
Bing
We use Bing to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Bing. Ads are based on both Bing data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Bing has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Bing to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Bing Privacy Policy
G2Crowd
We use G2Crowd to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by G2Crowd. Ads are based on both G2Crowd data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that G2Crowd has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to G2Crowd to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. G2Crowd Privacy Policy
NMPI Display
We use NMPI Display to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by NMPI Display. Ads are based on both NMPI Display data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that NMPI Display has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to NMPI Display to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. NMPI Display Privacy Policy
VK
We use VK to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by VK. Ads are based on both VK data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that VK has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to VK to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. VK Privacy Policy
Adobe Target
We use Adobe Target to test new features on our sites and customize your experience of these features. To do this, we collect behavioral data while you’re on our sites. This data may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, your IP address or device ID, your Autodesk ID, and others. You may experience a different version of our sites based on feature testing, or view personalized content based on your visitor attributes. Adobe Target Privacy Policy
Google Analytics (Advertising)
We use Google Analytics (Advertising) to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Google Analytics (Advertising). Ads are based on both Google Analytics (Advertising) data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Google Analytics (Advertising) has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Google Analytics (Advertising) to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Google Analytics (Advertising) Privacy Policy
Trendkite
We use Trendkite to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Trendkite. Ads are based on both Trendkite data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Trendkite has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Trendkite to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Trendkite Privacy Policy
Hotjar
We use Hotjar to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Hotjar. Ads are based on both Hotjar data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Hotjar has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Hotjar to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Hotjar Privacy Policy
6 Sense
We use 6 Sense to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by 6 Sense. Ads are based on both 6 Sense data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that 6 Sense has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to 6 Sense to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. 6 Sense Privacy Policy
Terminus
We use Terminus to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by Terminus. Ads are based on both Terminus data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that Terminus has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to Terminus to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. Terminus Privacy Policy
StackAdapt
We use StackAdapt to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by StackAdapt. Ads are based on both StackAdapt data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that StackAdapt has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to StackAdapt to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. StackAdapt Privacy Policy
The Trade Desk
We use The Trade Desk to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by The Trade Desk. Ads are based on both The Trade Desk data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that The Trade Desk has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to The Trade Desk to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. The Trade Desk Privacy Policy
RollWorks
We use RollWorks to deploy digital advertising on sites supported by RollWorks. Ads are based on both RollWorks data and behavioral data that we collect while you’re on our sites. The data we collect may include pages you’ve visited, trials you’ve initiated, videos you’ve played, purchases you’ve made, and your IP address or device ID. This information may be combined with data that RollWorks has collected from you. We use the data that we provide to RollWorks to better customize your digital advertising experience and present you with more relevant ads. RollWorks Privacy Policy

Are you sure you want a less customized experience?

We can access your data only if you select "yes" for the categories on the previous screen. This lets us tailor our marketing so that it's more relevant for you. You can change your settings at any time by visiting our privacy statement

Your experience. Your choice.

We care about your privacy. The data we collect helps us understand how you use our products, what information you might be interested in, and what we can improve to make your engagement with Autodesk more rewarding.

May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?

Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.