Difference engine and analytical engine
Máquina diferencial y máquina analítica
- Date
- 1822-1837 · confidence high
- Place
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- Charles Babbage (and Ada Lovelace, 1843 notes)
- People
- 👤 Charles Babbage1791–1871
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What it is
A mechanical calculator of tables by the method of finite differences (1822) and, from 1837, the design of a machine programmable by punched cards with a calculating unit, memory and conditional control. Neither was completed, but they defined the architecture of the computer.
Difference Engine No. 2 was finally built in 1991 at the Science Museum, and it worked.
What it led to
- The concept of a program and an algorithm (Lovelace)
- Scheutz's difference engine (1853) and printed tables
- Advances in precision engineering (Clement)
- Inspiration for Hollerith, Aiken and the pioneers of the 20th century
Built on
- Jacquard loom with punched cards1804
- Pascal and Leibniz's calculators
- Thomas de Colmar's arithmometer (1820)
Made possible
- Scheutz's difference engine
- Hollerith tabulating machine
- Digital computer