Hydraulic Analog Computer From 1949

mbone writes "In the New York Times, there is an interesting story about a hydraulic analog computer from 1949 used to model the feedback loops in the economy. According to the article, 'copies of the 'Moniac,' as it became known in the United States, were built and sold to Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Ford Motor Company and the Central Bank of Guatemala, among others.' There is a cool video of the computer in operation at Cambridge University. I remember that the Instrumentation Lab at MIT still had an analog computer in its computer center in the mid-1970s. Even then, it seemed archaic, and now this form of computation is largely forgotten. With 14 machines built, it must have been one of the more successful analog computers — a supercomputer of its day. Of course, you have to wonder if it could have been used to predict our current economic difficulties."

Comments

Re:Explosives factories

[Thanshin]

Some explosives factories still use hydraulics, steam or vacuum for process control. Although it tends to be digital now, with valves used as flip-flops.

Furthermore, the factory itself can be considered as a digital information storage system.

The problem is returning to the current state after it flips to the other one.

Memory Leak

[SubjectiveObjection]

"Johnny, there's another damn memory leak! Bring the bucket!"

If we would have stayed with this technology...

[sootman]

... the Internet truly would be a series of tubes.

Also, little known fact: Gordon Moore's father was a mechanical engineer who predicted that the size of hydraulic valves would shrink 50% every 18 months.

Re:Computers can't model macroeconomics

[zindorsky]

What they don't realise is that motorists are more intelligent than water particles.

Says you.