Busicom Corp
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Nippon Calculating Machine Corp
Busicom Computer Corporation, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.
Orignally the Nippon Calculating Machine Corporation (NCM), the name was changed to Busicom Corp. (Business Computer Corporation) in the late 1960s.
Busicom was a very technically progressive company, and was involved with
Intel in the development of the Intel 4004, the first commercial microprocessor, for use in calculators.
Busicom also produced one of the first hand-held calculators, the Busicom LE-120A, which is small enough to be called the first pocket calculator. This made use of the Mostek MK6010 integrated circuit, which was the first "calculator on a chip", which was developed by Mostek and Busicom. The company also made prototypes of an LCD display version of this calculator, which would have been the first LCD calculator, but there were worries about the life of the liquid crystal and it never went into production.
Unfortunately the company's business acumen was not as advanced as its technology, and with the intense competition in the calculator industry it got into financial difficulties and ceased production in early 1974[1]. However the rights to the Busicom name were bought by Broughton's of Bristol in Britain and Busicom calculators, produced by different manufacturers, continue to appear.
See the article "Busicom of Japan and Broughtons of Bristol: Pioneering calculator company and the company which carries on the name" on this site.
Some Busicom calculators were labelled for other companies, including NCR (National Cash Register) of the U.S.A. and Privileg of Germany.
Examples of Busicom and Nippon Calculating Machine calculators
NCM/Busicom HL21.
NCM/Busicom HL21.
This mechanical, pin-wheel, calculator can also be found with a Busicom label.
Dating from the 1960s, this is a featured calculator on this site.
NCR 18-16 (Busicom Junior)
