Toe switches would activate the computer once the wheel and ball were set into motion, collecting timing data for both. The New Yorkerīy 1961, Thorp and Shannon had built and tested the world’s first wearable computer: it was merely the size of a cigarette pack and able to fit into the bottom of a specially-designed shoe. Pretending just to be a casual onlooker, that observer would transmit the forecast by radio to a second participant charged with placing bets.Ĭlaude Shannon, mathematician, worked with Thorp to construct model roulette wheels in the hopes of. The key, he decided, would be a small computer, worn by someone observing how the wheel was spun and the ball was launched, that was fast and powerful enough to calculate their trajectories and make a prediction. Given that roulette wheels no longer had discernible defects, he realized he would need to develop a new strategy. In 1955, while a second-year physics graduate student at UCLA, Edward Thorp learned about Hibbs and Walford’s exploits and decided to try to beat the casinos himself. He served for many years on the faculty of UCLA, and was also crew-member in the Biosphere II mission to create a sustainable, livable environment disconnected from Earth’s resources. Walford, as a physician, became known for his advocacy of a severely calorie-restricted diet as the key to longevity. The launch of Explorer 1 in 1958 represented the start of the United States' participation in the.
