Any clue what this is?

[born2laser]

Popped up in one of my alerts for the auction site
Has anybody seen one of this before?
Link to the posting

Label says "CO-OP 41 Data Collector", "memory/interface pod" made by some mysterious outfit in Corvallis.
What is it?

[KeithB]

Maybe Ken S knows.
https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12...#pid116113

[rprosperi]

(12-06-2023 10:09 PM)born2laser Wrote:  Label says "CO-OP 41 Data Collector", "memory/interface pod" made by some mysterious outfit in Corvallis.
What is it?

Firmware Corp is hardly mysterious. Owned (or co-owned?) by Dave Conklin after leaving HP, Firmware was one of the most prolific 3rd-party device and software vendors for HP Calculator users, making dozens of products for both b2b and consumer sales. Surveying was the largest (and easiest) market for handheld calculators and Firmware made a variety of accessories and applications for this market. Later, Dave formed Tripod Data Systems (TDS) with Bernie Musch and other former HP Engineers, and continued to make HP devices, software and solutions for the surveying and other markets.