What Does Information Processing Techniques Office Mean?
Originally known as Command & Control Research, the Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) was created in 1962 and was a constituent of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) of the US Defense Department. It was primarily responsible for all of DARPA’s information technology programs, especially research and development.
In 2010, the Information Processing Techniques Office was merged with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s Transformational Convergence Technology Office to form the Information Innovation Office.
Techopedia Explains Information Processing Techniques Office
The Information Processing Techniques Office was created to advance technology in information and computational systems. However, the Information Processing Techniques Office never performed any research, but was mostly involved in investment in innovative technologies and other research projects which helped to advance capabilities of computer hardware and software.This strategy was in line with the vision of the Information Processing Techniques Office’s first director J.C.R. Licklider.
The Information Processing Techniques Office helped and supported in a wide range of computer projects with the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) being one of the key projects. ARPANET, one of the earliest packet switching networks, was capable of surviving nuclear and military attacks and could function even if one of the nodes (installations) was eliminated. The Information Processing Techniques Office also helped in contributing toward interactive graphics, interactive computing, network protocols, packet switching networking technology and other advancements. Other well-known projects of the Information Processing Techniques Office were VIRAT, Deep Green, BICA and FORESTER.