Logic Unit for the Green Machine, A Prototype Desktop Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1964
label: date received
content: 1978
name: label: maker
content: Osborne, Thomas E.
notes: label: Description
content: As a graduate student in electrical engineering at the University of California – Berkeley, Thomas E. Osborne began thinking about the design of a desktop electronic calculator that could compute the very large and very small numbers encountered in scientific work. In January of 1964 he formed the firm Logic Design, Inc., to develop his ideas. By late 1964 he had built a prototype keyboard and display (1978.0311.01), as well as this prototype logic unit.
label: Description
content: The framework of the logic unit is a group of five rectangular perforated boards, arranged in the shape of a box. Numerous smaller boards are perpendicular to the base and to three of the sides. Metal supports are along the base of two opposite sides. Circuit components include transistors, resistors, capacitors, diodes, and a plug. A second plug is loose in the box.
label: Description
content: Elements of the green machine were incorporated in Hewlett-Packard’s first commercial electronic calculator, the HP9100. For a prototype of that machine, see 1978.0311.03. For related documentation, see invention notebooks and photographs by Osborne (1978.0311.03 through 1978.0311.14). For purchase orders of components used in the prototype, see 1985.0264.01.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Bernard M. Oliver, “How the Model 9100A Was Developed,” <I>Hewlett-Packard Journal</I>, September, 1968. A copy of this article is at the HP Museum website.
label: Description
content: The website of the University of Wyoming contains biographical information about Osborne.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: California, Berkeley
topic: label: Subject
content: Business
label: Subject
content: Invention
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
content: Computers & Business Machines
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content: Desktop Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Hewlett-Packard Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1978.0311.02
label: accession number
content: 1978.0311
label: catalog number
content: 1978.0311.02
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator prototype
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (boards, wiring material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (endpieces, wires material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (plug material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (components material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 19 cm x 42 cm x 27 cm; 7 15/32 in x 16 17/32 in x 10 5/8 in