DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
TEAL Photon
Tokyo
Electron Applications Laboratory (TEAL), of Tokyo, Japan introduced in 1977 with the
Teal Photon the World’s first calculator using solar cells instead of batteries.
Please keep in mind that Sharp's EL-8026 Sunman
introduced a few months earlier recharges internal batteries with solar cells
mounted on the back of the calculator housing.
Dismantling
this Teal Photon manufactured in February 1978 in Japan reveals a very clean
construction based on a Toshiba T3603 single-chip calculator circuit known
already from the TI-1750 (2nd
design).
It took till 1981 before Texas Instruments entered with the TI-1766
the market of LCD-calculators powered by solar cells.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, February 15, 2011. No reprints without written permission.