To relieve some of the work of caring for an infant and to create a better environment for the infant, B. F. Skinner invented the baby tender, or aircrib, in 1944. The public first learned of this invention in a 1945 article published in the popular magazine Ladies' Home Journal. The authors discuss the public reactions to that article, the subsequent attempts to mass produce the aircrib, and the several unpublished surveys of aircrib users. The history, development, and ultimate commercial failure of the aircrib are discussed in the context of public attitudes toward certain behavioral technologies. The article concludes with a brief discussion of Skinner's commitment to human betterment.
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