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- Air Traffic Control Radar Scope, 1969 - Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. This computer-integrated radar scope, used at Detroit Metro Airport from 1970 to 2001, was one of the first units capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen.
- 1970-2001
- Collections - Artifact
Air Traffic Control Radar Scope, 1969
Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. This computer-integrated radar scope, used at Detroit Metro Airport from 1970 to 2001, was one of the first units capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen.
- Circuit Bent "Speak & Spell," 2018 - This "circuit bent" instrument is made from an iconic Speak n' Spell educational toy. Circuit benders salvage cheap battery-powered electronics from second-hand stores, open their covers, and make permanent short circuits with jumper wires. Billy Prosise transformed this device in ways that the original manufacturer never intended, allowing sounds to loop, unpredictably glitch, and distort.
- 2018
- Collections - Artifact
Circuit Bent "Speak & Spell," 2018
This "circuit bent" instrument is made from an iconic Speak n' Spell educational toy. Circuit benders salvage cheap battery-powered electronics from second-hand stores, open their covers, and make permanent short circuits with jumper wires. Billy Prosise transformed this device in ways that the original manufacturer never intended, allowing sounds to loop, unpredictably glitch, and distort.
- Datamath TI-2500-II Electronic Calculator, circa 1974 - The Texas Instruments TI-2500 "Datamath" was TI's first electronic calculator and one of the most important consumer calculators of the 1970s. Produced beginning in 1972, the Datamath made complicated calculations accessible to many people. Because of the Datamath's popularity and ease of use, electronic calculators began to replace the heavy mechanical adding machines previously used in small businesses.
- circa 1974
- Collections - Artifact
Datamath TI-2500-II Electronic Calculator, circa 1974
The Texas Instruments TI-2500 "Datamath" was TI's first electronic calculator and one of the most important consumer calculators of the 1970s. Produced beginning in 1972, the Datamath made complicated calculations accessible to many people. Because of the Datamath's popularity and ease of use, electronic calculators began to replace the heavy mechanical adding machines previously used in small businesses.
- Texas Instruments "Silent 700" Acoustic Modem, circa 1971 - The TI Silent 700 was one of the most popular portable acoustic modems in the 1970s. It was a "compact travelling companion," and a self-contained data terminal. People used this modem to interact with timesharing computers at home and on the road. It had top speed of 300 bits per second and contained a thermal fax printer to log sessions.
- circa 1971
- Collections - Artifact
Texas Instruments "Silent 700" Acoustic Modem, circa 1971
The TI Silent 700 was one of the most popular portable acoustic modems in the 1970s. It was a "compact travelling companion," and a self-contained data terminal. People used this modem to interact with timesharing computers at home and on the road. It had top speed of 300 bits per second and contained a thermal fax printer to log sessions.
- Texas Instruments Electronic Calculator, Model TI-59, 1977-1980 - The TI-59 was one of the first programmable LED pocket calculators. Interchangeable magnetic cards acted as program storage, shareable among programming enthusiasts. Its large memory allowed it to compete as an affordable alternative to early computers. With "Turing-complete" abilities, its capacity to perform complex mathematical equations, and run simple programs--including user-generated games like chess--made it popular among professionals.
- 1977-1980
- Collections - Artifact
Texas Instruments Electronic Calculator, Model TI-59, 1977-1980
The TI-59 was one of the first programmable LED pocket calculators. Interchangeable magnetic cards acted as program storage, shareable among programming enthusiasts. Its large memory allowed it to compete as an affordable alternative to early computers. With "Turing-complete" abilities, its capacity to perform complex mathematical equations, and run simple programs--including user-generated games like chess--made it popular among professionals.
- Texas Instruments Speak & Spell, 1978-1985 - Making an electronic chip that could synthesize speech was a tricky problem. But once the engineers at Texas Instruments solved it in 1978, their first product with their new chip wasn't an assistive device for the vision-impaired; it was a toy. The Speak & Spell was a popular and novel educational toy that pronounced words for early readers.
- 1978-1985
- Collections - Artifact
Texas Instruments Speak & Spell, 1978-1985
Making an electronic chip that could synthesize speech was a tricky problem. But once the engineers at Texas Instruments solved it in 1978, their first product with their new chip wasn't an assistive device for the vision-impaired; it was a toy. The Speak & Spell was a popular and novel educational toy that pronounced words for early readers.