Martin Research

Martin Research Ltd.

Company type	Private
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	1974
Founder	Donald Paul Martin
Fate	Acquired by Zebra Technologies in 1986
Successor	Qwint Systems, Inc.
Headquarters	Northbrook, Illinois , United States
Products	Mike series of modular microcomputer kits (Mike 1, Mike 2, Mike 3, Mike 8)
Number of employees	130 (1984)

Martin Research Ltd., which later became known as Qwint Systems, Inc., was a U.S.-based computer manufacturer founded by Donald Paul Martin in Northbrook, Illinois. Beginning in 1975, the company released the Mike series of modular microcomputer kits, featuring models built around the Intel 8008, 8080, and Zilog Z80 processors. These systems quickly gained traction among enthusiasts looking for cost-effective computer trainers.

Foundation (1974–1975)

Donald Paul Martin (1940–2019), an electrical engineer educated at MIT and a co-founder of the Chicago Area Computer Hobbyists' Exchange (CACHE), launched Martin Research in late 1974. The company initially aimed its products at industrial clients requiring programmable controllers but soon shifted focus toward the growing hobbyist segment, which became the primary driver of its expansion.

The earliest products included the Mike 1 microcomputer alongside the publication Microcomputer Design (1975). The Mike 1 was a modular computer system utilizing the Intel 8008 CPU, while the book provided a comprehensive technical manual for building microcomputers based on the Intel 8008 and 8080 processors. Priced at $75, the book was also offered with an optional 8008 chip for an extra $25. Industry commentators praised the book as an essential resource for hardware engineers, bolstering Martin’s status as a leader in microcomputer education and innovation.

Mike family (1975–1980)

The Mike series comprised modular microcomputers available either as kits or fully assembled units. They featured stacked circuit boards measuring , interconnected through a shared bus and ribbon cable—a design approach commonly found in sophisticated minicomputers. This setup allowed flexible board configurations, typically beginning with a Console Board, followed by a CPU Board, PROM/RAM Board, among others. The Console Board was equipped with a six-digit seven-segment LED display and a twenty-key keypad enabling real-time entry of octal instructions and direct memory access.

The original Mike 1 model powered by the 8008 processor was soon replaced by the Mike 2 in early 1975. This upgrade included the 2-20 Console Board, the 2-1 CPU Board featuring the 8008 processor along with crystal oscillator and timing circuitry, and a 2-3 PROM/RAM board offering 1 KB RAM and 2 KB PROM. The Mike 3 followed in the second quarter of 1975, upgrading to an Intel 8080 CPU and expanding RAM to 4 KB while maintaining compatibility with existing boards. Both Mike 2 and Mike 3 models remained available concurrently and achieved considerable market success in 1975—ranking just behind the Altair 8800 according to John Craig, editor of Kilobaud Microcomputing.

In early 1977, Martin Research introduced the Mike 8, a three-board system based on the Zilog Z80 processor. It featured 4 KB of RAM along with a 1-KB memory monitor program stored in ROM that provided functions such as RAM diagnostics, single-step execution, and interrupt management. The kit included a blank Intel 2708 EPROM that could be programmed using the PROM/RAM Board’s built-in programmer, complemented by an ultraviolet lamp for erasing and reprogramming EPROMs. Notably, the Mike 8 was the first model in this lineup to offer an optional enclosure—the so-called "black-box"—aimed at industrial users and advanced hobbyists alike.

Restructuring (1980–1985)

During the early 1980s, the company redirected its efforts toward business, industrial, and healthcare markets, adopting the name Qwint Research and moving its headquarters to a new location within Northbrook. Instead of entering the nascent personal computer arena, Qwint focused on marketing teletypes and printing terminals. In 1977, Kerry Berland, the vice president of marketing, voiced doubts about venturing into the consumer PC sector without control over semiconductor technology. Subsequent industry evaluations credited the decline of Martin Research's kit computers to the IBM PC's introduction by 1981, which commoditized microcomputers and posed significant challenges for companies targeting hobbyists.

In April 1981, Qwint unveiled its initial product lineup under the rebranded identity: the KSR-743 transmit-and-receive printing terminal, the KSR-744 teletype, and the RO-743 receive-only terminal. By 1982, enhancements to the KSR-744 included two advanced models equipped with increased RAM and editing functions resembling word processors; notably, the high-end model offered early email connectivity. The following year saw the release of the 780 series teleprinters that incorporated graphic capabilities. This business division expanded sufficiently for Qwint to employ 130 personnel by 1984 and relocate to a spacious 46,907-square-foot facility in Lincolnshire, Illinois. In 1986, Zebra Technologies acquired Qwint.

External links

• Various brochures (1974–1975) at the Internet Archive
• Martin Research catalog (1975) at the Internet Archive
• Mike 3 CPU Board schematic (1975) at the Internet Archive
• Mike 2 Monitor – Version 1.3 program listing at the Internet Archive