mechanized oracle explores bell system communications
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MECHANIZED ORACLE EXPLORES BELL SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS
At m o n i t o r i n g conso l e . <le>i«iner H . D . I rv in w a t r h t ^ p e r f o r m a n c e «*f **>]Π·\Γ~ d u r i n g î*~~î <»i u~er-rt-3*rti<»ii tomp-r-ri-i n r n t a l t*-ît*phom*s. Λ comput<*r-likt- m a c h i n e . >iii>! <>im;ilal«— th«- iuxHîi<*ii- «»i iu ' s . r r * ««mmum* ali«*ri'» λ*\ -« ·-> ami records· in terplax be tween p h o n e - and u ? t r ? . Sil*>3 i> raani»-<J ail«-x l l ie \* i»mm «ra» 1»> c»î a u i n - r : ! (.#:»-«-*»*.
A mechanized "oracle?" is helping Bell Telephone Laboratories predict the future in communications devices and systems.
The oracle i s "Sibyl." a computer-like machine developed by Bell Laboratories engineers and psychologists-It can simulate the action of man ν kinds of communications de\ices. Through Sibyl, new kinds of telephone service can be evaluated without the considerable expense of building actual equipment. Observing and recording users" reactions to the simulated equipment. S i lnl provides indications of how users would react to proposed new s\>tems features and equipment.
Sibyl, for example, is used to test the reaction of Bell Laboratories people to experimental push-button telephones. Each test subject has a push-button telephone in his office and he uses it in the ordinary course of his busi
ness. But the set is not c»«nneoted dire-ctlv t«» the l««cal PBX : it is connected through Sib\ L w iiicts. performs the ?p«-cial signaling functions required l»v such a pu^h-huttoit *ele-prione. IÏÎ this u a \ . pu>h-button telephone -erv ice i- s h en to a group of people without m«*difv ins the P B \ . or providing eompleteK inr-truniented |»usrn-butt«»si telephones.
At the same time. Si lui «athers· information on how the cal! w as placed —date. time, originator. speed of «»|»era-ti*L#n. err**rs. whether the line was i:»u>\ «»r the call completed. S i ln l does all this without \iolatir»£ the pri \ac\ of telephone com ers»at ions.
Bell e*ngineers ex|»ect thaï Sibvl uill provide a letter understanding of the relationship l»e£ ween telephone e-fjuip-menl and the people who use i l . Sihxfs rapid and economical technique for e\aliaating n«e\\ t> |*es «»f telephone sets i s an important contribution t«» the art of telephnnv.
ΛΓ% BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES W O R L D CENTER OF C O M M U N I C A T I O N S RESEAHCH AND DEVE2.0P3MENT"
DEC. 8. 1 9 5 8 C S E N 9