Today, Most of you don’t know anything about analog computers. But It is the earliest computer which was developed. Before knowing what is an analog computer, you must know what is analog.
An Analog is a mechanism in which information is passed continuously in the variable format.
An Analog computer is a computer in which a continuous signal is used to process. This computer is very useful for a situation in which data is required to be measured directly in its raw form rather than converted numerals or codes.
Analog computers have numerous applications in both industry and scientific fields, including but not limited to control systems and aircraft.
Type of Analog computer
Electronic Analog computer
An Electronic Analog computer is a modern analog computer that uses an electrical signal flowing through various resistors and capacitors. This computer did not use mechanical interaction of components.
The display is provided by the voltage of the signal. This type of computer is widely used in computing and military technology.
Slide Rules
Slide Rules is the simplest and most recognizable analog computer designed to do basic mathematical calculations. To align with different markings on a separate rod, the user can slide a rod with hash marks. They read the device based on the lineup of various hash marks.
The Castle Clock
The Castle Clock was invented by the AI Jarazi. This clock is also known as a water clock that was driven by both water and weights. This clock is a good example of the various uses for mechanical analog computers.
This Clock is designed to save programming instructions. In this users are allowed to adjust the length of the day according to the current season using a computational component incorporated into the device.
Differential Analysers
The Differential Analyzer is one of the most well-known mechanical analog computers, which was specifically designed for solving differential equations through integration methods. This computer uses Wheel and Disc mechanisms to perform the integration.
This type of computer is huge compared to a digital computer. This computer is one of the first computers which is used operationally.
Example of Analog computer
Speedometer
A speedometer is a device made to detect the speed of a moving vehicle. The speedometer generally measures speed in kilometers per hour. The speed of the vehicle is indicated by the pointing out of the needle which allows moving freely according to the analog signal received by it.
Seismometer
A seismometer device is made to record the intensity of the earthquake. This device is always in close contact with the earth’s surface. When an earthquake occurs, the surface shake, and this device start working. It creates graphs on paper according to surface shake. After analysis of this graph, the intensity of the earthquake is determined.
Flight Simulators
Flight Simulators are made to train flight pilots during their training period. They do their training on a simulator because it is safe to do. They can artificial environments to test their capabilities which is not possible in the real world.
Flight simulators help the pilot prepare for bad conditions like bad weather, engine failure, tire blowouts on the runway, etc. This simulator creates a replica of the real cockpit with the use of hydraulic pumps, an image generator, sound systems, motion actuators, multiple monitors and gears, etc.
Thermometer
A thermometer is a device that is used to measure body temperature. This device uses mercury to fulfill its operation. Mercury is liquid at room temperature and expands according to the level of heating.
A thermometer works on an analog signal because body temperature is an analog signal. The thermometer is the best example of an analog computer.
Tide Predictors
Tide predictors are made to measure the height of tides at regular intervals. Mechanical machinery is used to measure heights. Tides mainly depend on the gravitational force of the earth, sun, and moon.
Water waves can be only measured in analog numbers, so analog devices are used to measure tides.
Voltmeter
A voltmeter is used to measure the voltage difference between two points in an electrical network. To measure the voltage of any electronic device, the Voltmeter must be connected parallel to a device.
Voltmeter has high internal resistance. Because this maintains the current of the measuring devices.
Analog Clock
Analog Clock is widely used in almost every one day to day life. This device uses quartz crystal which is susceptible to the piezoelectric effect. The battery in the clock vibrates the crystal at a rate of 32,768 vibrations per second.
And all these vibrations generate one pulse which is equal to one second.
Characteristics of Analog computer
Continuous Variables
Analog computers use continuous variables to represent and manipulate data. These variables can take on any value within a range, and the computer can perform calculations in real-time using these variables. Unlike digital computers that use discrete binary values, analog computers can work with any range of values.
High Speed
Analog computers are designed to perform calculations at high speeds. They can perform complex mathematical operations, such as solving differential equations in real-time. This makes them well-suited for tasks that require fast calculations, such as scientific simulations.
Accuracy
Analog computers can be highly accurate when designed properly. The output of an analog computer can be easily interpreted in physical terms, making it useful in scientific research and engineering applications. For example, an analog computer could be used to model the behavior of a complex mechanical system, providing insights into how it might behave under different conditions.
Simplicity
Analog computers can be simpler in design and operation than digital computers. They often require fewer components and less power, which can make them more cost-effective for certain applications. Analog computers also have a more intuitive design, as their outputs can be easily visualized and understood.
Mechanical Components
Some analog computers use mechanical components, such as gears and levers, to perform calculations. These machines can be large and complex, but they are often very reliable and can perform calculations at high speeds.
Application-Specific
Analog computers are often designed for specific applications, such as aerospace engineering or scientific research. They are well-suited for tasks that require real-time calculations and high accuracy. However, they are less useful for general-purpose computing tasks.
Advantages of Analog computer
Speed
Analog computers can perform calculations at very high speeds because they do not have to convert analog signals into digital signals, process them, and then convert them back into analog signals like digital computers.
Accuracy
Analog computers can provide extremely accurate results, particularly for problems that involve continuous variables, because they do not suffer from the quantization errors that can occur in digital computers.
Flexibility
Analog computers can be used to solve a wide range of problems, from simple mathematical equations to complex models of physical systems, and can be easily reconfigured to solve different types of problems.
Real-time processing
Analog computers can process data in real-time, making them suitable for applications that require fast response times, such as control systems or simulations of physical systems.
Low cost
Analog computers can be built using simple components, making them relatively inexpensive compared to digital computers.
Disadvantage of Analog computer
Limited precision
Analog computers are prone to noise and drift, which can affect the accuracy of their calculations. This makes them less precise than digital computers, which can handle numbers with much greater precision.
Limited memory
Analog computers have limited memory compared to digital computers, which can store large amounts of data in their memory. This makes them less suitable for complex calculations that require a lot of data storage.
Limited flexibility
Although analog computers are flexible, they are not as flexible as digital computers, which can be reprogrammed easily to solve different types of problems. Analog computers require significant modifications to solve different types of problems.
Lack of scalability
Analog computers are difficult to scale up to handle larger problems because they require physical components that must be sized correctly to work together.
Lack of compatibility
Analog computers are not compatible with digital devices or systems, which can make it difficult to integrate them into modern computing environments.