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Ballistic computer of 1935: the 3-ton "Big Brain"

January 22, 2008 4:44pm

You can actually see one of these machines at work in the 1956 film “Earth vs. the flying saucers” (at –more or less- 56 minutes from the start). The data output device shown on the film is graphical, but seems, however, very advanced (even by the present standards):).
In the film you can also see the panels in the walls to store the little wheels used to “program” the thing.

A modern and extremely beautiful recreation of one of these computers was done by Tatjana van Vark. ( http://www.tatjavanvark.nl/harmonium/ )
Seems SteamPunk, but is a completely different level.

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