The computer and the brain
Generalization of pattern recognition in a self-organizing system
AFIPS '55 (Western) Proceedings of the March 1-3, 1955, western joint computer conference
On microelectronic components, interconnections, and system fabrication
IRE-AIEE-ACM '60 (Western) Papers presented at the May 3-5, 1960, western joint IRE-AIEE-ACM computer conference
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The cay is rapidly drawing near when digital computers will no longer be made by assembling thousands of individually manufactured parts into plug-in assemblies and then completing their interconnection with back-panel wiring. An alternative to this method is one in which an entire computer or a large part of a computer is made in a single process. Vacuum deposition of electrodes onto blocks of pure silicon or germanium and the subsequent diffusion of the electrode material into the block to form junctions is a most promising method. The successful development of this method would allow large numbers of transistors and all of their interconnecting wiring to be made in one operation. Vacuum deposition of magnetic materials and conductors to form coincident-current magnetic-core memory planes is a second promising method that will allow an entire memory to be made in one operation. The vacuum deposition of superconductive switching and memory circuits is a third method that will make possible the printing of an entire computer. The authors feel sure that the most significant milestone in computer component technology will be the announcement by one or more firms, in perhaps 2 years, that all of the technical problems of building a printed system have been solved, and that one of their engineers with his vacuum system can make a digital computer in an hour.