10 Facts About RAND Tablet

1.

RAND Tablet is a graphical computer input device developed by The RAND Corporation.

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2.

The RAND Tablet is claimed to be the first digital graphic device marketed as being a low cost device.

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3.

The RAND Tablet was one of the first devices to utilize a stylus as a highly practical instrument.

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4.

Development of the RAND Tablet began with research on the Sketchpad, a system where the user could write commands for a computer directly on the tablet, conducted by Ivan Sutherland.

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5.

The RAND Tablet was one of the first devices to recognize freehand drawing, using programs like Ellis'.

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6.

The RAND Tablet was called the "Grafacon" and is considered one of the first produced graphics tablets.

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7.

However, the RAND Tablet did not catch on commercially, likely due to an inertia in user habits which made consumers more familiar with a keyboard device, and the lack of practical applications for a tablet device during this time period.

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8.

RAND Tablet is a large 10"x10" printed-circuit screen with printed-circuit capacitive-coupled encoders and 40 external connections.

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9.

The stylus used on the RAND Tablet had a tiny click switch that, when depressed, would send a signal to the machine.

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10.

RAND Tablet partnered with IBM to create a system which could merge information either provided by user actions or generated by computers with information coming from other sources.

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