Glimpse of Stephen Hawking's Computer

kenekaplan writes "Intel application engineer Travis Bonifield has been working closely with Hawking to communicate with the world for a decade. He's traveled from the United States to England every few years to hand-deliver Hawking a customized PC. Bonifield talks about the technology that powers the customized system." Hawking's latest machine is a Thinkpad x220. Lately he's been trouble speaking due to weakened cheek muscles (down to one word per minute). New Scientist has a brief interview with Hawking's outgoing technician on the challenges he faced. It turns out Hawking is still using a DECtalk (despite some reports suggesting otherwise).

Comments

DECtalk

[Sockatume]

With a cat for scale. That's it, Wikipedia, we're through.

Re:DECtalk

[Anonymous Coward]

You'd rather the cat be in a box?

Re:DECtalk

[Sockatume]

Without knowing whether it's an imperial or metric cat it's completely useless, though.

Re:DECtalk

[nomoreunusednickname]

It only tells you if you're heavy enough to squish a cat.

I find it useful to determine if a room is large enough to swing a cat.

Re:DecTalk is a warhorse

[martin-boundary]

I could totally see Hawking with the voice of HAL 9000.

Student: What if I integrate this term on the left here?

Hawking: I'm afraid you can't do that, Dave.

Re:One word a minute

[Noughmad]

A brilliant theoretical physicist cannot learn a new (arguably easier) technology over a ten year period, yet alone flourish?

Have you ever seen a professor trying to turn on a projector?