main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, 1949

Made:
1949 in Germany
maker:
Osram
and
National Physical Laboratory
Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model. Built by National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, England, 1949.  The Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950.  Front 3/4 gallery view of whole object on display in "Alan Turings Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950.  Front 3/4 detail view of  object on display in "Alan Turings Life Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950.  Front 3/4 detail view of  object on display in "Alan Turings Life Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950.  Front 3/4 detail view of  object on display in "Alan Turings Life

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model. Built by National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, England, 1949. The
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950. Front 3/4 gallery view of whole object on display in "Alan Turings
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950. Front 3/4 detail view of object on display in "Alan Turings Life
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950. Front 3/4 detail view of object on display in "Alan Turings Life
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model 1950. Front 3/4 detail view of object on display in "Alan Turings Life
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, made at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, England, and some of the valves by Osram, Germany, 1949. The construction of the (ACE) pilot model was based on designs by Alan Turing.

In 1945, while working at the National Physical Laboratory, the British mathematician Alan Turing formulated the design of an 'automatic computing engine' (ACE), which would have been the world's first general-purpose computer. He left the NPL in 1948, but this smaller 'pilot', or prototype, was made in his absence in 1950.

Although just a pilot version, this remarkable machine found a range of applications including working out the stresses on an aeroplane's fuselage.

Details

Category:
Computing & Data Processing
Object Number:
1956-152 Pt1
Materials:
aluminium (alloy), bakelite, copper (alloy), electrical components, metal (unknown), paper (fibre product), steel (metal), textile, tin (metal) and wiring solder
Measurements:
overall: 1930 mm x 2720 mm x 1040 mm, 599kg
type:
mainframe
taxonomy:
  • furnishing and equipment
  • tools & equipment
  • computer
  • furnishing and equipment
  • tools & equipment
credit:
National Physical Laboratory.