Object Record
LINC Computer
Laboratory Instrument Computer ("LINC"), 1964 Lab Version
| Catalog Number | 89.0001.014 |
| Title | Laboratory Instrument Computer ("LINC") |
| History |
This laboratory version of the LINC was used in the National Institute of Mental Health. From "LINC: Genesis of Technological Revolution in Computing Celebrates 20th Anniversary" The NIH Record, January 3, 1984, page 3: "Developed in 1963 by Wesley A. Clark and Dr. Charles E. Molnar of MIT, the LINC began a succession of advances leading to the multibillion dollar minicomputer industry of today. Today’s desktop computers are direct descendants of this device. "Funds provided by NIH and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration fueled the efforts that established the LINC as a technological breakthrough....The LINC quickly emerged as a uniquely powerful laboratory aid, offering for the first time in a small, self-contained, programmable device such features as ‘on line’ acquisition of experimental data, ‘real-time’ control of laboratory instruments, and data analysis facilitated by conversational programs and a TV-like display screen." From the exhibit text: "The Laboratory Instrument Computer (LINC) was the first personal computer. Developed in 1963 by Wesley Clark and Charles Molnar at the Lincoln Laboratories of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The LINC led to the multi-billion microcomputer industry of today. Desk-top computers one now sees in homes, schools, and the work place are direct descendents of this device. Funds provided by the National Institutes of Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration established the LINC as a technological breakthrough. These funds helped the MIT group to demonstrate the feasibility of its concepts and enabled scientists in a wide variety of research settings, including several laboratories studying the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, to evaluate the new computer first hand. The LINC emerged as a uniquely powerful laboratory aid offering for the first time in a small, self-contained programmable device such features as ‘on-line’ acquisition of experimental data, ‘real-time’ control of laboratory instruments , and data analysis facilitated by conversational programs and a TV-like display screen. The LINC exhibited here was used originally in 1964 in the laboratories of the National Institute of Mental Health. "The success of the LINC derived from an ingenious synthesis of technical capabilities. The computer, large by modern standards, was small enough to be accommodated directly in a research laboratory. The programming language was simple enough for novices to master quickly, yet powerful enough to serve an extraordinary variety of information processing tasks. The operating system (programs that generally must be resident continuously for the computer to function) and the hardware complemented each other beautifully, making the display screen and the pocket-sized LINC tapes especially easy to use. The ability to program the conversion of electrical signals either from analog form (varying voltages) to digital form (‘bits’) or the reverse offered unprecedented opportunities for laboratory scientists to analyze and act on their experimental data while the experiment ran." The first generation of digital computers used vacuum tube circuits. In the late 1950 when the recently invented transistors became available manufacturers quickly replaced vacuum tubes with these new devices since they were far more reliable. The resulting computers, later called main frames were relegated to exclusive departments as a result of both the cost and requirement for trained operators. Some potential users however foresaw the need for digital computers that could be used by scientists to collect and process data right in the laboratory. In 1963, Wesley A. Clark and Dr. Charles E. Molnar of MIT, supported by funds from NIH and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) undertook the development of a computer for hands-on use in the laboratory. The LINC computer was designed to meet these goals. This instrument actually comprised of a set of so-called blocks already available at the time. The principal component consists of a TX-2 digital computer designed in MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and later produced by the Digital Equipment Company (DEC). This 1958 computer in turn traced its heritage back to the TX-0 from the same laboratory. That machine used some three thousand transistors; circuit elements were connected by actual wires. The TX-0 was designed to accept input directly to its core, memory. The computer was equipped with a cathode ray screen that could display input and output. The TX-2, that was launched in 1958, incorporated a specially designed ½" tape drive that later evolved into the LINCtape and DECtape. This new device would go directly to blocks of data and in effect served as external memory. The new tape system is said to have the same speed as a slow floppy disc drive.. A typical LINC configuration included the computer proper and a rack holding the tape drive, a small CRT display, a control panel, and a keyboard. The LINC computer was equipped with an analogue to digital converter for data input as well as digital to analogue outpt converter. This gave the user the sense of working with the more familiar analogue device. The LINC has been called the first personal computer since it was operated by the end-user rather than some main frame computer center. The first set o LINCs was built at MIT in a summer workshop for potential users. Subsequent LINCs were built by DEC and the Spear Co. Neurophysiologists count among the very adopters of the LINC. Researches in this discipline often involves recording from electrodes placed in a single nerve cell. The output may comprise a set of quickly varying signals with considerable background noise. A computer, by use of appropriate programs can be used to study the original nerve signal. From memorandum from William H. Sheriff, Jr., April 13, 1983: "The classic LINC Computer on display in the lobby of the ACRF [Bldg. 10] was assembled by the Section on Technical Development, NIMH, in 1964. It was used to evaluate the Laboratory Instrument Program at MIT that was funded by NIMH and to explore the use of comptuers in neurophysiological and physiological research at NIH. The LINC underwent some cosmetic changes after it left our control in 1977...I was hired in 1964 by James Bryan, the Chief, STD, to be the 'LINC Shepherd.' We really didn't know what its potential was and its development followed very pragmatic lines. It exceeded our expectations. It not only was the first computer designed as a laboratory instrument, it could also be considered the first personal computer. " |
| Description |
89.0001.014.01 - Wiring Cabinet Unit (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.02 - Wiring Cabinet Unit Upper Door (13 behind door) 89.0001.014.03 - Wiring Cabinet Unit Lower Door (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.04 - Main Console Unit (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.05 - Console Unit Oscilloscope (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.06 - Desk Unit (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.07 - Cable (P401) (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.08 - Cable (P402) (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.09 - Cable (P403) (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.10 - Cable (P404) (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.11 - Desk Unit Drawer (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.12 - Cable (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.13 - Roll of Printer Unit Paper for Weather Charting (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.14 - Bottle of Printer Unit Ink (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.15 - Bottle of Printer Unit Ink (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.16 - Calcomp 665 Printer Unit (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.17 - Calcomp Printer Unit Cover (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.18 - Roll of Printer Unit Paper (GDC pallet 4) 89.0001.014.19 - Carrying Case for LINC Computer Tapes letters enclosed 89.0001.014.20 - LINC Computer Tape: "AVE4 + LAP6W (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.21 - LINC Computer Tape: LAP6W UO + LINDSYX" (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.22 - LINC Computer Tape: "DECUS #1" (Computers Exhibit) 89.0001.014.23 - LINC Computer Tape: "DECUS #2" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.24 - LINC Computer Tape: "DECUS L-36 LAP6X (NO TTY)" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.25 - LINC Computer Tape: "DECUS L-121 A-D LAP6W COPY 2 (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.26 - LINC Computer Tape: "LIB1" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.27 - LINC Computer Tape: "LIB2" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.28 - LINC Computer Tape: "LIB3" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.29 - LINC Computer Tape: "LIB4" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.30 - LINC Computer Tape: "MASTER VER 7/2/76" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.31 - LINC Computer Tape: "ST LOUIS TEST C.2" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.32 - Punched Paper Tape for LINC Computer: "R3SDF1.BIN Rotochem III Field 1 Overlay" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.33 - Punched Paper Tape for LINC Computer: "MTABE:BIN" (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.34 - Carton of LINC Computer Tapes (unused) (10 ) (3C) 89.0001.014.35 - Empty Plastic Computer Tape Reel (3C in bookcase) 89.0001.014.36 - Empty Plastic Computer Tape Reel (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.37 - Empty Plastic Computer Tape Reel (3C in briefcase) 89.0001.014.38 - Empty Plastic Computer Tape Reel (3C in briefcase) .06 Metal desk with blue enamel, stainless steel legs, top has formica (corners are torn). Drawer has no handle; it contains .07-.15 .18 is paper in the printer unit (quite dirty). .16-17 CALCOMP 665 plotter is bolted to the desk. It has a blue enamel top. On left side are dial controls for carriage slow, carriage fast, and power on light. The right side has dials for drum slow, drum fast, up/down, chart drive on/off. .19 CARRYING CASE: Dark gray textured briefcase with plastic handle. Above handle is green plastic tape with "Dr. M. Green 10/4N318" on it. Bottom has blue plastic insert with places for round computer tapes. Top has snapping closure that opens to store papers and computer tapes. Contain .23-33 and .35-38, and papers. |
| Other Name | Laboratory Instrument Computer (LINC) |
| Date | 1964 |
| Organizations |
NIH; NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) NIH Division of Computer Research and Technology |
| Buildings | Building 10 ("CC" Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center) |
| NIH Property # | none |
| Old NIH Property # | none |
| Serial # | none |
| People |
Green, Maurice Raub, William F. Pratt, Arnold W. Sheriff, William "Bill" Eden, Murray Kennedy, Thomas J. Murtaugh, Joseph Lusted, Lee Shannon, James A. Hemphill, Fay M. Tompkins, Howard E. Mider, G. Burroughs King, James Eberhart, John C. Shy, Milton Nelson, Philip G. Robbins, Jacob Adams, Scott Bartels, Robert C.F. Bigelow, Julian H. Cox, Jerome R., Jr. Killam, Keith Jr. Macy, Josiah, Jr. Moe, Gordon K. Perlis, Alan Sakoda, James M. Schenthal, Joseph E. Scher, Allen Shapiro, Norman Stacy, Ralph W. Warner, Homer R. Woodbury, Max A. Yamamoto, William S. |