Down the rabbit hole on digital calculations. Computers, as programmable tools, trace their origins to the 1800s. Joseph Jacquard’s loom, which used punched cards for pattern storage, indirectly influenced the field (1800s). C. Babbage, inspired by the loom, built the Difference Engine in 1822 for mathematical calculations and later designed the Analytical Engine, the first computer with memory and programmability [2]. Lord Kelvin in the 1870s created an analog computer for tide calculation, notable for its accuracy and long-term use [3]. In some places, still used today for its simplicity and accuracy.
References
- Jacquard, J. (1800s). Programmable loom development.
- Babbage, C. (1822). Difference Engine and Analytical Engine.
- Kelvin, Lord (1870s). Analog computer for tides.