If you want more information on how you can do computation with mechanical systems, try this video:<p>U.S. NAVY BASIC MECHANISMS OF FIRE CONTROL COMPUTERS MECHANICAL COMPUTER INSTRUCTIONAL FILM 27794 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwf5mAlI7Ug" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwf5mAlI7Ug</a>
The narration is too much.<p>That UCLA differential analyzer from 1947 was the peak of that technology. Earlier ones in the US go back to 1928. Wikipedia says UCLA had three of those. Probably for the Southern California aircraft industry.<p>That was near the end of the line for the pure mechanical analog computers. Even the gun and missile guidance systems had electrical inputs and outputs. 1947 was late to be building that, but it was a mature technology and worked, although, as shown, a huge pain to reprogram. Mechanical fire control systems had one built-in problem to solve, so they didn't have to be set up as a parts kit like this.
Very cool.<p>Also, if you're into this sort of thing here's the first in a seven video series on a very different mechanical computer - Albert Michelson's Harmonic Analyzer which does Fourier Analysis: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsM30MAHLg" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsM30MAHLg</a>
I love the tone of amazement and excitement in the video. The images were amazing, but the tone really stuck with me.<p>I wonder what could be done to bring back that type of mass amazement and excitement towards technology?<p>When I think of the future I'm blown away by the possibilities of CRISPER, 3d printing, energy storage, block chains, driver-less cars, UBI, space exploration and more. We are advancing so quickly on so many fronts, and yet most people are indifferent or down right hostile toward it.
This analog computer reminds me of a great book: <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Mind-Play-Shannon-Invented-Information/dp/147676669X" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.ca/Mind-Play-Shannon-Invented-Information...</a><p>that talks about a similar computer at MIT. I find all the pre transistor computation really interesting. Shannon was doing some really early work on what was, at the time, thought of as AI. Putting a mouse through a maze with movable walls. All with just circuits, no CPU. The circuits were not fixed, they had some branching based on phone switch tech (IIRC).