Original typescript

Shannon, C. E. [Claude Elwood]

A Mind-Reading (?) Machine [typescript]

[no place of publication stated]: [no publisher stated] March 18, 1953. First Edition. [1]-4 leaves. 10 7/8 x 8 3/8 inches. Original typescript stapled upper left corner. Stained on the front page with several short tears and associated creases. Signed in type "C. E. Shannon" and "March 18, 1953" on the last page. Paper watermarked "75% Cotton Fibre | Old Badger Bond | by Fox River." Near Fine. Wraps. [28617]


This paper describes a machine that plays the game of odds and evens, trying to predict the player's moves. It discusses the strategy of operation and the theory of beating it. The paper appears in Sloane and Wyner but is otherwise unpublished.

"This machine is a somewhat simplified model of a machine designed by D. W. Hagelbarger. It plays what is essentially the old game of matching pennies or 'odds and evens.' This game has been discussed from the game-theoretic angle by von Neumann and Morgenstern and from the psychological point of view by Edgar Allen Poe in 'The Purloined Letter.’ Oddly enough, the machine is aimed more nearly at Poe's method of play than von Neumann" (first paragraph)

Hagelbarger’s paper is "SEER, A SEquence Extrapolating Robot." Its abstract is: "The success of computers in doing routine work formerly done by people suggests that a computer capable of adjusting itself to a changing environment might be desirable. Such a characteristic might be especially valuable to the telephone industry, which must service large numbers of people having changing needs and desires. As a step in this direction, a relay machine that plays a penny-matching game with human opponents has been built. The machine is described and its behavior against people and other machines discussed."

Shannon and Hagelbarger collaborated on a variety of projects at Bell Laboratories.

The MIT Museum has a “Penny matching game” built by Shannon in their collection (2007.030.009).

PROVENANCE: The personal files of Claude E. Shannon (unmarked). The only example in Shannon's files.

REFERENCES:
Sloane and Wyner, "Claude Elwood Shannon Collected Papers," #73

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