World's first speech synthesizer for a personal computer.

World's first speech synthesizer for a personal computer (#1):

Ai Cybernetic Systems Model 1000 Speech Synthesizer card for the S-100 buss (e.g., Altair 8800), 1976.

But ... most people/sites claimed the Computalker was first, giving a date of 1976 or 1977 ... what's going on?

Earlier speech synthesizers existed, but they were external boxes that one interfaced to (e.g., the Votrax, $2000, communicating over parallel or RS-232), or were standalone (#2). Additionally, research institutions like MIT were doing significant work on speech synthesis, using large digital computers.
...
But none of the above was for a personal computer.
None was in the financial reach of the individual.

Recent discoveries show that the first speech synthesizer for a personal computer was from Ai Cybnertic Systems: the Model 1000. Designed by Wirt Atmar.
(It predated the Computalker by at least three months.)

The earliest reference to the Computalker is from Byte Magazine, 1976/08, pages 18-24.

The earliest reference to the Model 1000 as a product is from the same issue, pages 26-38.
(an earlier reference is in Byte Magazine of March, 1976.)

The Byte issue of August 1976 has two articles about speech synthesizers for S-100 bus systems.

The first article, pages 18-24, by D. Lloyd Rice of Computalker Consultants, has a sidebar on page 26 that states:

   At the time this article 
   goes to press, a synthesizer
   module incorporating several
   detail refinements and im-
   provements over the circuits
   of this article is being de-
   veloped by the author and
   associates.
   and
   A detailed user's
   guide will be supplied with the
   Computalker module

Note the future tense: "is being developed"!

The second article, pages 26-33, is by Wirt Atmar, whose product *was already shipping*, and had been publicly demonstrated in March of 1976!

Near the end of the article, Wirt lists currently available products:

   At the present time, two speech synthesizers 
   are both commercially available and affordable by
   the hobbyist.

   One is the Votrax produced by:
   Vocal Interface Division
   Federal Screw Works
   500 Stephenson Dr
   Troy Ml 48084
   Price, approximately $2,000
   Interfacing: Parallel or Serial (RS-232)
   
   The second is the Model 1000 manufactured by:
   Ai Cybernetic Systems
   PO Box 4691
   University Park NM 88003
   Price, $425

Note that of the two shipping synthesizers Wirt mentions, only one is for a personal computer, the other requires a fairly hefty computer with a parallel or RS-232 interface.

Wirt demonstrated his product at the earlier MITS World Altair Computer Convention (March, 1976), where it tied for second place in the demonstration contest (his reward: an IMSAI 8800b computer!).
(See Byte magazine, June, 1976, page 37)

He advertised the Model 1000 poorly/infrequently, since it was mostly a side business. And that shows, since history doesn't remember it.

Wirt had told me (in the late 1990s) that he thought his was the first for microcomputers (e.g., a user installed card, not an external box). Now, I'm sure his was the first ... but it was really close!

With a March 1976 demo, and shipping as of 1976/08, Wirt's Speech Synthesizer (Model 1000) is clearly the first for a personal computer.

Manuals, Articles, Photos...

Manual for Ai Cybnertic Systems Model 1000 Speech Synthesizer:

Manual (.pdf)

Original Byte article, with a nicer format and more legible (courtesy of Richard Davies):

The Time Has Come - To Talk (.doc format)

Photos (click to see large version):

shipping box (4 MBs)
This is interesting because it was purchased by IBM's Development Lab!
static_warning (4 MBs)
letter_in_box (5 MBs)
warranty_card_back (5 MBs)
warranty_card_front (5 MBs)
warranty_front (5 MBs)
Note that the registration card is an 80-column punch card!
board_front (5 MBs)
board_back (5 MBs)
logo_rev_date (4 MBs)

The Byte magazine issues mentioned:

1976/03: Article on first Altair World Computer Convention (1976/03), mentioning Wirt's board.

1976/08: Articles on Wirt's board, and on the Computalker.

Photo of report on the MITS World Altair Computer Convention (first personal computer convention):

report mentions Wirt and Valerie Atmar

Sadly, Dr. Wirt Atmar passed away in 2009.

Note: Ai Cybernetic Systems is usually known as "AICS", and was on the web for several decades as www.aics-research.com.
The domain lapsed, but is available via archive.org: https://web.archive.org/web/20090223202615/http://aics-research.com/

Stan Sieler

1. "first" is a difficult word, particularly dealing with technology. When giving tours at the Computer History Museum, I'd sometimes point out that anything can be a "first", with the proper adjectives.

Nonetheless, in terms of speech synthesizer boards usable with personal computers (e.g., the Altair 8800 and other S-100 buss computers), Wirt's Model 1000 seems to qualify as "first".

2. The Kurzweil Reading Machine was introduced sometime in 1976, $30,000. here