Ralph Baer: the man you never heard of who changed technology forever

By Tim Biggs
Updated February 16 2015 - 10:08am, first published December 12 2014 - 5:05pm
Ralph Baer, pictured here with his prototype of the first ever home video game machine, passed away on December 6. Photo: Jens Wolf/File
Ralph Baer, pictured here with his prototype of the first ever home video game machine, passed away on December 6. Photo: Jens Wolf/File
Baer and some of the products that came of his inventions — including the Magnavox Odyssey, 'SIMON' and TV Teddy.
Baer and some of the products that came of his inventions — including the Magnavox Odyssey, 'SIMON' and TV Teddy.
The original 'Brown Box' prototype, now held at the Smithsonian Institute. Photo: Flickr/georgehotelling
The original 'Brown Box' prototype, now held at the Smithsonian Institute. Photo: Flickr/georgehotelling

Ralph H. Baer never reached the levels of public recognition of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs but, as the inventor of home video games, his contribution to technology and entertainment are arguably on the same scale.

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