Home›Open Questions›Was Garrett AiResearch's classified Central Air Data Computer chip set (1968-1970), Texas Instruments' 1971 single-chip CPU patent, or Intel's commercially released 4004 (1971) the first true microprocessor?Open QuestionsWas Garrett AiResearch's classified Central Air Data Computer chip set (1968-1970), Texas Instruments' 1971 single-chip CPU patent, or Intel's commercially released 4004 (1971) the first true microprocessor?Citation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextTechnology and Engineering Atlas. "Was Garrett AiResearch's classified Central Air Data Computer chip set (1968-1970), Texas Instruments' 1971 single-chip CPU patent, or Intel's commercially released 4004 (1971) the first true microprocessor?." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://technology.interactiveatlas.org/open-questions-index/was-the-cadc-or-the-4004-the-first-microprocessor.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextTechnology and Engineering Atlas. (n.d.). Was Garrett AiResearch's classified Central Air Data Computer chip set (1968-1970), Texas Instruments' 1971 single-chip CPU patent, or Intel's commercially released 4004 (1971) the first true microprocessor?. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://technology.interactiveatlas.org/open-questions-index/was-the-cadc-or-the-4004-the-first-microprocessorCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{technologyandengineeringatlas-was-garrett-airesearch-s-classified-cent, author = {Technology and Engineering Atlas}, title = {Was Garrett AiResearch's classified Central Air Data Computer chip set (1968-1970), Texas Instruments' 1971 single-chip CPU patent, or Intel's commercially released 4004 (1971) the first true microprocessor?}, year = {2026}, url = {https://technology.interactiveatlas.org/open-questions-index/was-the-cadc-or-the-4004-the-first-microprocessor}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXOpen QuestionCross-Tradition ConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)Open QuestionThe three claims answer different questions, first working design, first patent, first commercial product, and the classified CADC design was not publicly documented until years after it was built, so the historical record itself was incomplete for years, not merely uncollected.What would resolve this A settled convention for whether "first microprocessor" means first working design, first patent or first commercial release would resolve which claim wins under that definition; no new archival evidence is expected to change the underlying facts.OpenHistory of technologyWikipedia contributors, Microprocessor (Wikipedia)Cross-Tradition ConnectionsQuestion OnThe Microprocessor, Inventions Well-attested Source Microprocessor (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributorstier 2SourcesMicroprocessor (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationView the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year