RAL had a long-term interest in the ICL Mini-DAP (32 × 32 processors) seeing it a very fast add-on parallel processor to the ICL PERQ. A DAP on the PERQ where DAP memory was also the bit map for a colour display was an interesting and unique product. The fast channel to the display could be used also as a fast update mechanism on the display in the area of image processing. Discussion with ICL started in 1982 and an initial date for the first prototype was mid-1983. After problems with the fast interface to the display, the prototype delivery slipped to January 1985
Eventually the development was spun off as Active Memory Technology Inc with the DAP 510,the initial product, being an add-on parallel processor to a SUN workstation or a VAX computer with first deliveries in 1988. Informatics purchased one DAP 510 for assessment with the Engineering Board's EASE programme.
Geoff Manning, the Director of RAL at the time, joined AMT as its first Chairman.
The DAP 610 was launched in 1990 with 64 × 64 (4096) parallel processors.
