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Ed Roberts' interest in computers began in high school when he built a simple digital computer from relays. His first real experience with computers came while at [[Oklahoma State University]] where engineering students had free access to an [[IBM 1620]] computer. Roberts' office at Weapons Laboratory had the state of the art [[Hewlett-Packard 9100A]] programmable calculator in 1968. In July 1970, a semiconductor company, [[Electronic Arrays]], announced a set of six LSI ICs that would make a four-function calculator.<ref name = "EAS100">{{cite journal | title = New Products: Do-it-yourself Electronic Calculator | journal = Computer | volume = 3 | issue = 6 | pages =38–41 | publisher = IEEE | date = November 1970 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=GJ2wAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Electronic+Arrays%22+Calculator | doi = 10.1109/C-M.1970.216730 | quote = Electronic Arrays has developed the EAS100, a set of MOS LSI circuits for a 16 digit calculator with 8 digit display capability.}}</ref><ref name = "Calculator Patent">{{US patent reference | number = 3800129 | y = 1974 | m = 03 | d = 26 | inventor = Richard H. Umstattd | title = MOS Desk Calculator}} The Electronic Arrays, Inc. calculator chip set that was used in the MITS 816 calculator.</ref> Roberts was determined to design a calculator kit.
To fund the new project, Roberts sold 15% of MITS to fellow Air Force officer, Lieutenant William Yates. He also got an investment from another Weapons Laboratory officer, Major Ed Laughlin. Several other officers and
The MITS 816 was known as a "four-function" calculator; it could add, subtract, multiply and divide. The display was only 8-digits but the calculations were done to 16-digits of accuracy. The custom molded case gave the kit a professional appearance; the kit was $179 and an assembled unit was $275. The MITS 816 was featured on the November 1971 cover of ''[[Popular Electronics]]''.<ref name = "MITS 816">{{cite magazine | last = Roberts | first = Ed | date = November 1971 | title = Electronic desk calculator you can build |magazine= Popular Electronics | volume = 35 | issue = 5 | pages =27–32 | url=https://archive.org/details/popularelectroni35unse_3/page/27/mode/1up | url-access=registration}}</ref> Thousands of calculator orders came in each month, in contrast to poor results for previous kits that MITS had offered.<ref name = "Albq Journal Oct 1971">{{cite news | last = Cliff | first = W. Wilson | title = Little Firm in City Making Big Name with Calculator | work = Albuquerque Journal | page = G-2 | quote = But hundreds of thousands of electronics enthusiasts the world over have read about MITS within the last 10 days and no less than 200 already bought the light-weight 16-digit electronic calculator… | date = October 31, 1971}}</ref>
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