Analog computer facts for kids
An analog computer is a special kind of computer. It solves problems by using things that change smoothly, like electricity, movement, or water flow. Think of it like a model that acts out the problem. This is different from digital computers, which use numbers and separate steps to solve problems.
Analog computers can be simple or very complex. Simple ones include slide rules, which help with math. More complex ones were used to control things like naval guns. They also helped manage industrial processes and protect electrical systems.
Even after digital computers became popular, analog computers were still used a lot. This was because they were often much faster for certain tasks. However, by the 1950s and 1960s, digital computers started to take over.
Analog computers still had special uses. They were important for things like flight simulators for airplanes. They also helped teach students about control systems in universities.
More complex tasks, like advanced flight simulators, relied on analog computers. This continued into the 1980s because digital computers weren't fast enough yet.
Combining Analog and Digital Power
Analog computers are fast, but digital computers are more flexible and accurate. So, people had the idea to combine them. This creates a hybrid computer. This mix helps get the best of both worlds.
Hybrid computers are mainly used for very fast calculations. These are important when time is critical. For example, they are used in embedded systems and for processing radar signals.
In the early 1970s, companies started connecting analog and digital computers. The digital computer would control the analog one. It would set up the problems, start calculations, and collect the results automatically.
One of the biggest makers of hybrid computers was Electronics Associates. Their model 8900 combined a digital computer with one or more analog parts. These systems were used for big projects, like the Apollo program and the Space Shuttle at NASA.
After 1980, digital computers got much faster and more powerful. They could then do many of the jobs that analog computers used to do.
Images for kids
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TR-10 desktop analog computer from the 1960s and 70s
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The Polish analog computer AKAT-1 (1959)
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An EAI 8800 Analog computing system (1986)
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An analog circuit for a spring-mass system
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The movement of a spring-mass system with damping
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William Ferrel's machine (1881–1882) that predicted tides
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The front of the switching board for an EAI 8800 analog computer
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A 1960 Newmark analogue computer, used to solve differential equations. It is now at the Cambridge Museum of Technology.
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The analog computer used for the X-15 simulator
See also
In Spanish: Computadora analógica para niños
