Historical AI hardware: Texas Instruments Incorporated produced a relatively low-cost LISP machine. What was this platform called?

Introduction / Context:
During the AI boom of the 1980s, dedicated LISP machines provided hardware and environments optimized for symbolic computation and AI development. Texas Instruments was among the vendors producing such systems at lower price points compared to some competitors. This question asks you to recall the specific TI product name.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Vendor: Texas Instruments.
• Product category: LISP machine.
• We need the correct branded name used by TI.

Concept / Approach:
TI’s family of LISP machines was marketed under the name “Explorer.” These systems bundled hardware, operating environments, and LISP development tools. Other names in the options refer to expert-system shells or languages that are not the TI LISP machine brand.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical catalogs and AI retrospectives list TI Explorer alongside Symbolics and Lisp Machines Inc. offerings.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• The Computer-Based Consultant: not TI’s LISP machine brand.
• Smalltalk: a programming language and environment from Xerox PARC, not TI hardware.
• The Personal Consultant: an expert-system shell, not a hardware platform.
• None of the above: incorrect because Explorer is correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing software shells and languages with hardware product names; mixing Xerox PARC artifacts with TI branding.

Final Answer:
The Explorer