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How's That Work?
Episode HWW-206

Computer Mouse, Heart Monitor, Wristwatch
In 1964, Douglas Engelbart developed what was called an x-y position indicator for a display system. It was a small wooden box with two metal wheels. When he moved the box, the wheels moved. A pointer on the screen would then track the motion. Because the wire from this box to the computer looked like a small tail, his invention was dubbed the mouse. Next, the first heart-rate monitor for athletes was invented in 1977 by Finnish Professor Seppo Saynajakangas for his nation's cross-country ski team. The coach of the team believed that by monitoring the intensity of his skier's workouts, their performance would improve. With the success of his athletes Saynajakangas started his heart rate monitor company, Polar, the same year. Finally, in the late 1600s, the watch migrated from around the neck to the pocket when King Charles of England started what was known as the waistcoat fad. In the pocket is where watches stayed for centuries, while watchmakers concentrated on making the most accurate timepiece possible. The wristwatch was born, and by 1930, they out numbered pocketwatches 50 to 1.

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