Black-and-white photograph of Busicom calculator. A Japanese calculator manufacturer, Busicom, asked Intel to design a set of chips for a family of programmable calculators. The original design for Busicom's calculator called for at least a dozen custom chips, Intel engineer Ted Hoff rejected the design and proposed instead a single-chip, general purpose logic device that retrieved its application instructions from semiconductor memory. As the core of a four-chip set, this central processing unit would not only meet Busicom's calculator needs, but could be plugged into a variety of applications without the need for redesign. Noyce and Moore embraced Hoff's solution, later buying back the rights to the chips for $60,000. In a decision that would change history, Intel designed a general-purpose logic chip that could be programmed to take instructions. The 4004 was Intel's first microprocessor. This breakthrough invention powered the Busicom calculator and paved the way for embedding intelligence in inanimate objects as well as the personal computer.
Busicom; Calculators; Electronic industries; Intel microprocessors; Manufacturing; Photographs; Santa Clara (Calif.); Santa Clara County (Calif.)--History; Technology
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
