In the history of computer graphics, SKETCHPAD—the pioneering interactive CAD system—was publicly demonstrated where and when?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
SKETCHPAD, created by Ivan Sutherland, is widely regarded as the first interactive computer-aided design system. It introduced innovations such as constraint-based drawing, object hierarchies, and direct manipulation with a light pen, laying the foundations for modern CAD, GUIs, and human–computer interaction.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • We seek the correct venue and year of the original demonstration.
  • SKETCHPAD was a graduate research project (Sutherland’s 1963 PhD thesis).
  • The system ran on the TX-2 computer.


Concept / Approach:
Historical accounts credit MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory and the TX-2 platform with enabling real-time interaction, which in 1963 was revolutionary. Sutherland’s demonstration showcased geometric constraints, replication of components, and interactive editing—capabilities that prefigured later CAD systems and graphical user interfaces.


Step-by-Step Solution:

1) Identify the inventor: Ivan Sutherland. 2) Locate the institution and platform: MIT (TX-2 computer). 3) Confirm the date: 1963 (thesis year and public demonstrations).


Verification / Alternative check:
Standard computing history sources and Sutherland’s thesis confirm MIT, 1963, as the correct pairing; the other locations and years do not match the historical record.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Imperial College 1973, Aston 1960, and Cranfield 1962 have no primary-link to SKETCHPAD’s first demonstration. None of the above is incorrect because MIT 1963 is accurate.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing later CAD milestones (e.g., commercial packages in the 1970s–80s) with SKETCHPAD’s original academic demonstration.


Final Answer:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963.

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