Derek Cooper takes a deep dive into Europe’s first home computer terminal in his latest report. Installed in the home of industrial consultant Rex Malik, this cutting-edge technology includes an electric typewriter and allows for sending and receiving messages, updating his diary, and checking his bank balance. Surprisingly, even Malik’s four-year-old son Nicholas can use it to tackle basic math problems. Could this be a glimpse into the future of every household having a computer like this? Only time will tell.
The program also touched on other groundbreaking topics such as the world’s first hovercraft races, an automated launderette with a continuous laundering machine, and a system to assist secretaries in handling larger volumes of correspondence. Additionally, developments in the Belfast Emergency Ambulance Service were explored, promising early treatment for heart attack patients while en route to the hospital.
For more on this fascinating broadcast from September 20, 1967, click here.