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In 1948, Richard Bolt and Leo Beranek founded a consulting company focused on acoustics. The company, Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), initially focused on consulting work for acoustical planning in buildings. However, as they took on larger projects, such as designing the acoustics for the United Nations complex in New York, they realized the need for more advanced computing capabilities. They hired Robert Newman, an architect and physicist, to join them and the company started to expand its services to encompass noise reduction and analysis of audio tapes.
In 1957, BBN recruited J.C.R. Licklider, who had a background in psychoacoustics, but also had a keen interest in human-machine interaction. Licklider believed that computers would play a significant role in the future of scientific research, and saw an opportunity for BBN to enter the field. He convinced Beranek to purchase a computer, even though none of the principals at BBN knew much about them at the time. The company bought an LGP-30 computer, which Licklider used for statistical calculations and psychoacoustics experiments.
Soon after, Ken Olsen, the founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, visited BBN and demonstrated the PDP-1 computer he was building. BBN was the first customer to purchase a PDP-1. The presence of the PDP-1 and the work Licklider was doing with it attracted prominent computer scientists, such as Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy, to BBN. BBN became known as “the third university” in Cambridge, alongside MIT and Harvard.
BBN began to shift its focus towards computer technology and research, with an emphasis on interactive programming and time-sharing systems. However, General Electric quickly entered the time-sharing market and took away much of BBN’s business. Despite this setback, BBN continued to explore the potential of computers in various applications, including education and libraries.
In the mid-1960s, BBN experienced a crisis in its architectural-acoustics division when Leo Beranek was criticized for overlooking important acoustical principles in the design of the new Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center. The problem was eventually solved, but the incident highlighted the need for BBN to diversify further into computer research.
BBN’s offices expanded into a row of buildings in Cambridge, which were known for their architectural simplicity and housed a mix of acousticians, computer scientists, and other researchers. The company became known for its academic atmosphere and its ability to attract top talent.
Frank Heart, a computer systems engineer at MIT’s Lincoln Lab, was recruited by BBN in 1966 to oversee a project introducing computer technology into hospitals. Heart had a reputation for building efficient systems that worked successfully in the field. His expertise in real-time computing systems made him a valuable addition to BBN.
Despite initial reluctance, Heart was convinced to join BBN by Dick Bolt. Heart saw the opportunity to work on projects that could benefit society and also have the chance to make money at a private corporation. When Heart arrived at BBN, the computer research was split between two divisions, information sciences and computer systems, which had limited interaction with each other.
Overall, BBN’s shift into computer research and technology allowed the company to take on a wider range of projects and attract top talent in the field. Despite challenges and setbacks, such as the Lincoln Center incident, BBN continued to innovate and explore new applications for computers.
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