The automated teller machine has just turned 40 and it's inventor, 82 year old John Shepherd-Barron anticipates its demise and the end of cash within the next 3 to 5 years. Shepherd-Barron who is still active inventing things says cash will be replaced by transactions made via our cell phones, he's not alone on that prediction. The first instant teller was installed at the London Barclays branch office in Enfield High Street. With the invention necessitated the need for the pin number, the inventor thought 6 digits would be reasonable but he wife convinced him that she would only be able to remember 4, and so it was. The BBC has the tale of John Shepherd-Barron and his ATM here. Note: Wikipedia describes Shepherd-Barron's device as not being the original, however it is indisputably the version upon which our current day machines are based.
