Sketchpad: a man-machine graphical communication system
AFIPS '63 (Spring) Proceedings of the May 21-23, 1963, spring joint computer conference
Hybrid computation... what is it?... who needs it?...
AFIPS '64 (Spring) Proceedings of the April 21-23, 1964, spring joint computer conference
A Binary Floating-Point Resistor
IEEE Transactions on Computers
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A preliminary design is outlined for a hybrid computer utilizing both digital and analog techniques. In essence it consists of a small stored program digital computer controlling and interacting with a large network of analogue elements. The network components are nodes, each composed of a capacitor connected to ground and two resistors which can be connected to other nodes. These nodes can be interconnected in various configurations although they usually will be linked in a rectangular array so as to simulate the heat flow equation. There are, in addition, various other elements (including active ones) that can be connected to the network nodes, and all element values are under the control of the digital computer. Node voltages are scanned during computation so that component values can be altered according to programmed functions of appropriate voltages. The combination of digital and analog techniques results in a machine which is fast, powerful, relatively inexpensive, and quite flexible within a fairly wide range. ADAC was conceived of primarily with complex heat flow problems in mind, but it is expected that it will be useful for many other kinds of problems.