Computer Image was formed in 1960 with the aim of building a real-time analog computer animation system that would satisfy the growing demand in the TV World for more exciting adverts.

The first system, called ANIMAC, was released in 1965 and was a harness worn by a dancer who effectively provided the movements for a video character.

The second system was Scanimate, an analog computer animation system designed and built by Lee Harrison III in 1968 to produce video-based animation for television commercials etc.

The third system, CAESAR, appeared in 1968 and was the one that had the greatest impact on the computer animation scene.