Nuclear Development Associates: Circle Computer

The Rockefeller family had become interested in high technology companies before the Second World War. One of their firms, Nuclear Development Associates, had obvious need for computing facilities and, in the early 1950s, did initial work on the design of a small, vacuum tube, magnetic drum computer.

They did not want to develop it themselves so contracted with an engineering firm, Hogan Laboratories, to produce them. Only a few machines were ever sold, but the Circle machines did influence larger firms, particularly IBM, to create machines to compete in the small machine market.