1961 Beckman DEXTIR Computer
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1961 Beckman DEXTIR Computer |
by Bill Degnan - 02/19/2021 23:40 |
 Beckman Instruments, Inc. made a connected industrial research computer system called the DEXTIR, which was designed for to prepare data for computer entry. The model pictured in this photo was installed at the ESSO Research Labs in Baton Rouge, LA in July 1961. Click image for larger view.
Beckman issued a proposal to GM some time after the above photo was taken for an automatic monitoring and control system for the Die Casting Department of the Guide Lamp Division at General Motors. The comptuer that the DEXTIR would feed its data was (I believe) a UNIVAC 1108 computer from the same era. Perhaps also an IBM 704, 709, 7090) Download it here To my knowledge there is nothing published about this machine. For 1961 it looks pretty sophisticated. Until today I had never heard of the DEXTIR, I wonder what happened to it. Input Capcity - 25 to 2500 analog channels in multiples of 25 Scanning Rate - 3000 channels per second Output - papertape, punchcards, or magtape (IBM 704, 709, 7090 format) Output Word Length - 1-16 characters The woman in this photo is now approx 80 years old. Reply |
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Call from Beckman alumni |
by Bill Degnan - 10/30/2024 13:08 |
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I received a friendly phone call from Richard Beecher, 91 yrs, who worked on the DEXTIR system back when it was first launched. He thanked me for recognizing the computer and he told me a little about it's history. He said that 3 were made. 1 was for Beckman and 2 for the engineers who designed and built it as "payment". I wonder what happened to them?
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