‘Computers and Transportation’ is a future-looking, 1976 short educational film which analyze the rapid technological advances in computer systems, and then examines the potential impact on transportation, animation and graphics as well as space travel and artificial intelligence. It begins with the look inside of a ‘modern’ electronic digital computer (:34). The guts are composed of 50,000 transistors, 125,000 resistors and 500,000 connectors which were all connected by 20 miles of wire. A magnetic tape for storing data was filled by either magnetic disk or laser memory systems (:53). IBM computer chips (1:05). Prescient predictions about computers infiltrating human lives in such a way that they will affect where we travel, what we buy and where we go to eat (1:14). Saturn V rocket launch. Computers enabled the beginning of space research and exploration (1:49). The film then takes a look at the artificial intelligence robot named “Shakey”. This was the first general purpose robot that could think about its own actions. It was created in 1966 by the SRI Institute in the Stanford Research Institute of California. Viewers are given a shot of a view from the world as seen by “Shakey” (4:30). His task (4:45) is to push a cardboard box off a platform (5:17). Arthur C. Clarke (5:28), the prominent science writer, discusses the future of computers and artificial intelligence (5:28). Clarke is known for co-writing the screenplay for the film “2001 A Space Odyssey”. An inside look at an automated factory shows robots performing mechanized tasks (6:16). Clarke appears again (7:01) to recall how the predictions for other technological advances, such as the automobile fell short (they were believed to only be used in cities and would not find use in the countryside) and that this would most likely apply to computers and artificial intelligence. An Air Canada DC-8 passenger plane lands. It was believed by the year 2000 global tripping would become more popular with the advantage of computerized systems (7:25). These computers were to handle the loads of scheduling, seat assignments and ticketing (7:49). A look at one of the computerized reservation systems is given (7:51) which handled more than 14 million calls annually. This particular airline’s mainframe computerization costed 34 million dollars and was only to last about eight years as new advances were anticipated (8:47). Historical look back. This machine was given information through punch cards, instructions fed into the machine in a language the computer could understand (8:59) leads to a look at the invention which enabled this. In 1801, Joseph Marie Charles developed a programmable loom for the first time in history (9:21). This played an important role in the development of other programmable devices such as the early version of IBM’s digital computer. At the Ontario Science Center (10:04) people play tic tac toe against a machine which had never lost, testing the theory that computers could and would be smarter than man. An example of just how much information could be stored in a computer is given as every article ever printed in the New York Times magazine since its creation is now able to be pulled up on a computer (11:33). Shots of newspapers on printing press. Another accurate prediction that these advances in computer technology would inevitably help us track our utility meters, pay bills, and make tax filing easier (12:14). Professor Edward Fredkin of Carnegie Mellon University shows one of the first computerized inventions that was used for at home leisure (12:48) including a computerized music device. It used a plethora of musical patterns. It would then play varying light colors at the same time (14:23). John Whitney Sr. (16:18) was widely considered the father of computer animation and here he shows his invention of a ‘specialized problem solver’ which enabled easier computer animation rather than traditional drawing methods. Examples of digital designs which were crafted from an electrical solid-state electronic system dance across screen (17:59). This used mathematical equations to create patterns (18:23). The film draws to conclusion with scenes from “2001 A Space Odyssey”(20:09 — not licensable) and Professor Fredkien’s belief that computerized technology would also begin to help us understand the world around us better. Production by Hobel Leiterman LTD (21:26).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com