1972 Digital scopes: Analog-to-digital converters and memories turned a venerable instrument into a remarkable new tool

The genesis of what many consider the first true digital oscilloscope was a high-school electronics project assigned to Jole Shackleford in 1970. Jole, a 15-year-old electronics enthusiast, wanted a challenge, and suggested collaborating with his stepfather, Robert Schumann, cofounder and then vice president of Nicolet Instruments Corp., Madison, Wis. Schumann agreed, never dreaming that the project would lead to a revolutionary new product for Nicolet.