Friday, November 13, 2009

First computer to sing - Daisy Bell --- Even Before the HAL9000

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Why Did the Dying, Evil HAL Computer Sing "Daisy" in 2001 a Space Odyssey?

 Remember that terrifying death-of-HAL scene from Stanley Kubrick's classic '2001: A Space Odyssey,' in which the evil computer drones its " childhood" lyrics to Daisy Bell?  



It turns out that 'Daisy Bell' was a nod to the IBM 7094, which, a team at Bell Labs programmed the first computer to sing in 1962. The popular tune from the late 19th century was chosen as part of a demonstration of speech synthesis which was previewed by Arthur C. Clarke, who also co-wrote the screenplay, paid a visit to a friend at Bell Labs where he was was treated to a performance by the IBM 7094, and later, inspired by what he'd seen, reproduced it in the dramatic death scene of HAL 9000.
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