In 1982, a beta-testing pioneer opened himself up to a new kind of central processing unit, though the 61-year-old dentist acknowledged that he was acting for posterity.
The design of today's state-of-the-art device has changed remarkably little, though it's 30 percent smaller and features a Dacron driveline covering and a $42,500 price tag. A reliable and portable air system remains the primary technical hurdle. Developers at a Tucson-based technology company, however, say their creation is well on its way to a "wide open" market; the firm is shrinking the washing machine-sized external console into a 12-pound setup that can be worn as a backpack.
What is it, anyway? And what does it do?
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