Official documentation
(1961) Shoebox - IBM Archives (78-013)
IBM Archives, IBM MediaCenter, n.d.
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- An IBM Archives entry describing the Shoebox, an experimental device designed by IBM in 1961 that recognized 16 spoken words. The entry says it was an early effort at voice recognition and gives its basic function.
- How much weight it carries
- Published by IBM's own archive. It is short and does not give the word list or technical specification, so it confirms the basic facts only.
Facts taken from this source
- IBM's experimental Shoebox, designed in 1961, recognized 16 spoken words.
“The machine would recognize 16 words spoken into its microphone and convert those sounds into electrical impulses.” (Description of the 1961 Shoebox)
Pages that rest on this source
- Dictation and Voice Typing: How to Talk Instead of TypeTopic
- What Is Dictation Software? Types and How It WorksGuide
- History of Speech Recognition: From Audrey to WhisperGuide
- History of Dictation: From Shorthand to Speech RecognitionGuide
- Is speech recognition AI?Question
- Who invented speech recognition?Question