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The key to this system was a computer that could perform reliably in real time.

MIT ’ s Whirlwind ( computer ), built in the 1940s, looked to be a possible candidate for the system.

However, the Whirlwind was not reliable or fast enough for the processing needed for analyzing data coming in from dozens of, perhaps even 100, radars.

Jay Forrester, an MIT professor instrumental in the development of the Whirlwind, found the breakthrough to enable the computer to achieve outstanding reliability and doubled speed — the magnetic core memory.

The magnetic core memory revolutionized computing.

Computers became machines that were not just large and fast calculators ; their uses for varying applications grew.

Industry followed this development closely, adopting the magnetic core memory that expanded the capabilities of computers.