CERN's iPod-like control devices, from 1973
Read OriginalThe article discusses a 1973 CERN technical memo describing programmable control knobs for the Proton Synchrotron. These innovative devices, with features like variable resistance and spring return, are presented as a direct precursor to Apple's iPod click wheel and iPhone interface, highlighting how major research institutions often pioneer foundational technologies decades before commercialization.
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