Ray Holt (computer scientist)

{{short description|American computer scientist}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Ray Holt

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1944}}

| birth_place = Compton, California, United States

| fields = {{ublist|Electrical engineering|Microprocessor}}

| workplaces = {{ublist|Garrett AiResearch|Microcomputer Associates}}

| alma_mater = California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

| known_for = MP944

}}

Raymond M. Holt (born in 1944) is an American computer designer and businessman in Silicon Valley.{{Cite book |last=Holt |first=Ray |title=The Accidental Engineer |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1471078958 |edition=2nd |publication-date=August 27, 2022 |pages=back cover |language=en}}

Ray Holt graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

From 1968 to 1970, Ray and his brother Bill Holt were on the Garrett AiResearch's small design team that developed what he claims is the world's first microprocessor chip set, the 20-bit Central Air Data Computer (CADC), for the F-14 Tomcat (although the Viatron 2101 multi-chip processor had already been available at the time of the CADC's release).{{Cite magazine|author=Sarah Fallon|date=December 23, 2020|title=The Secret History of the First Microprocessor, the F-14, and Me|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/secret-history-of-the-first-microprocessor-f-14/|access-date=December 23, 2020|issn=1059-1028}} The CADC was never deployed for any other purpose, thereby leaving room for the 4-bit Intel 4004 to become the first commercially produced microprocessor. Holt's story of the design and development of the CADC is presented in a podcast{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=April 17, 2018|title=Ray Holt and the Origins of the Microchip Computer|url=https://theaccidentalengineer.com/ray-holt-and-the-origins-of-the-semiconductor/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=December 29, 2020|website=theaccidentalengineer.com}} and a Wired article.

Holt was co-founder with Manny Lemas of Microcomputer Associates, Incorporated,[http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=875 old-computers.com museum] later known as Synertek Systems where he designed the Jolt,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Jolt: OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum|url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=875&st=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=December 29, 2020|website=www.old-computers.com}} Super Jolt and SYM-1{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=SYM1: OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum|url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=856&st=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=December 29, 2020|website=www.old-computers.com}} microcomputer cards as well as the first microcomputer pinball game, Lucky Dice, using the Intel 4004. One of Holt's computer boards, the SYM-1, was used in the first two military robots, Robart I{{Cite web |url=http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/Robotics/Pages/ROBART_1.aspx |title=Robart I |access-date=August 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905201131/http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/Robotics/Pages/ROBART_1.aspx |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }} and Robart II.{{Cite web |url=http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/Robotics/Pages/ROBART_2.aspx |title=Robart II |access-date=August 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905201301/http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/Robotics/Pages/ROBART_2.aspx |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}

Holt is the founder and {{as of|2014|lc=y}} president of Mississippi Robotics,{{Cite web |url=http://mississippirobotics.org/ |title=Mississippi Robotics website |access-date=December 23, 2020}} a non-profit organization serving rural schools and ministries in Mississippi, teaching a STEM/Robotics curriculum and holding robot competitions twice a year.