What is bertie the brain?

Bertie the Brain was one of the earliest examples of a computer game. Created in 1950 by Josef Kates, a Canadian engineer and computer scientist, Bertie the Brain was a tic-tac-toe game that was displayed on a 4.5-meter tall computer with hundreds of lights as the display.

Bertie the Brain could play tic-tac-toe against human opponents and was capable of adjusting its strategy based on the opponent's moves. It was showcased at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in 1950, where it amazed and entertained thousands of visitors.

While Bertie the Brain was a novelty at the time and captured the public's imagination, it was not a commercial success and was eventually dismantled. However, it is considered a significant milestone in the development of computer games and interactive technology.