From slide rules to Douglas Hartree's differential analyser and Ferranti's early computers, these objects trace the development of calculating and computing technology.
Computing & Data Processing
1871
Analytical engine constructed by the late Chas. Babbage, F.R.S., (this was not put together when received and there are still many pieces, moulds etc. received in 1878, on exhibition in the gallery) Charles Babbage's calculating engines are among the most celebrated icons in the prehistory of computing. His Difference Engine No. 1 was the first successful automatic calculator and remains one of the finest examples of precision engineering of the time. The portion shown was assembled in 1832 by Babbage's engineer, Joseph Clement. It consists of about 2000 parts and represents one-seventh of the complete engine. This 'finished portion of the unfinished engine' was demonstrated to some acclaim by Babbage, and functions impeccably to this day. The engine was never completed and most of the 12 000 parts manufactured were later melted for scrap.
c. 1832
Portion of Charles Babbage's calculating machine (Difference Engine No.1), built by Joseph Clement, London, 1832.
1949
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.
Phillips Economics Analog Computer, devised by Bill Phillips at the London School of Economics, 1949 known as MONIAC [Monetary National Income Analogue Computer]
1976-1979
Personal Computer, model Apple I, devised by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne, and made by Apple Inc, United States, 1976-1979.
1991
Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849, excludes printing mechanism. Engine built by Science Museum, completed June 1991. Size 2.1m high, 3.4m long, 0.5m wide
1947-2003
Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.
1996
Nintendo Game Boy Pocket, model MGB-001.
1998
Replica of the 'Baby' or SSEM computer, built by the Computer Conservation Society in 1998. The original 'Baby' was the world's first stored-program computer and ran its first program on 21 June 1948.
Nintendo Game Boy Color, model number CGB-001.
1979
Mattel Intellivision games console with mains adaptor and six game cartridges (Armor Battle, Auto Racing, Golf, NASL Soccer, Sea Battle) each with instruction booklets, 1979. Console Serial No 100519.
1982-1990
GRiD Compass laptop computer manufactured by the GRiD Systems Corporation, Fremont, California, United States, 1982-1990
2006
Nintendo DS lite, model number USG-001, 2006, with original case.
1997-2002
Nokia Mediamaster television set top box for use with ONdigital prepaid digital television service, made by Nokia, Sweden, 1997-2002
1920-1930
Hollerith horizontal electrical sorting machine, no.7407, 45 column, invented by Herman Hollerith, and made by British Tabulating Machine Company Limited, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England, 1920-1930
1997
IBM ThinkPad 365e laptop computer, with Russian Cyrillic alphabet stickers on the keyboard keys, by IBM, Taiwan, 1997. This laptop computer was used in Helsinki, Finland.
1985
Intel 386 processor, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1985
Gold plated BBC Micro computer with two 1-megabyte disc drives and keyboard, made by Acorn Computers Limited, Cambridge, England,1985. From 'The Micro User' competition.
1965
Digital Equipment Corporation PDP - 8 minicomputer serial no.857, 1965
2001
Nintendo Game Boy Advance, model number AGB-001.
1977-1982
Altair 8800b Working System, made by Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS), United States, 1977-1982.
1968-1987
BESM-6 Supercomputer: Registers Cabinet type BRUS with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Control Unit type UU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Arithmetic Unit type AU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Peripheral Control Cabinet, type UVU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; possibly manufactured by Moscow Calculating Analytical Plant Machines, Russia, 1968-1987
1983
IBM model 5150 System Unit with integral twin 5 1/4 inch disk drives, made by IBM, Greenock, Scotland, 1983. 64K memory, single-sided double density 5 1/4 40 tpi 106K drives
1982-1985
Spectrum microcomputer with 48K RAM , serial number 148-455954, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, assembled in Portugal, 1982-1985
1987
Factory-sealed version of Apple's Hypercard software, made by Apple Inc, United States, 1985
1997-2006
MC218 personal digital assistant (PDA) with stylus, sold by Ericsson, manufactured by Psion and also sold as a Psion Series 5. British, 1997-2006
1999-2001
'Message Cam' mobile phone accessory with connector cable to enable mobile internet access using WAP and digital photo sharing, manufactured by Casio, Japan, 1999-2001. Sold for use with Siemens C35i mobile phone.
Green screen monochrome monitor Model 5151-02, made by IBM USA, Taiwan, 1983. Serial number 5500156
BSkyB 3000 Sky+ box personal television recorder and digital satellite receiver, made by Pace PLC, 2001
1989
Nintendo Game Boy, model DMG-01, manufactured by Nintendo Company Limited, 1989.
c.1987
IBM 4731 model BH2 Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) (supported by Woolwich Building Society)
2011
Replica of original computer mouse prototype designed by Douglas Englebert in 1963 and patented in 1970, made by the Stanford Research Institute, California, United States, 2011.
1994
Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, made by Cisco Systems, Inc., United States, 1994. Serial number: 62007011. London Internet Exchange
1998-2002
ON Digital set top box decoder card, used with digital terrestrial television (DTT) system, manufactured by ONDigital, 1998-2002
1971
Intel 4004 processor (open), manufactured by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1971
1984
Organiser 1 electronic organiser/calculator, made by Psion, British, 1984
NorthStar Horizon computer, made by North Star Computers, Berkeley, California, United States, 1979.
c.1990
Sega Mega Drive 16 Bit Intelligent Terminal video game console in original packaging, c.1990
MATLAB Version 1.0 Manual, made by MathWorks, United Kingdom, 1984.
1978
Magnavox Odyssey 2 games console in original packaging, 1978. Second-generation video game console released by Magnavox (a subsidiary of Philips from 1974) using programmable ROM cartridges. Included a full alpha numeric keyboard as well as joystick console. Also known as the Philips Videopac G7000, the Odyssey 2 was a direct rival to the Atari 2600 and Mattel Intellivision in the early second generation of games consoles.
1966-1970
Control unit for Honeywell DDP 516 computer, designed by the Computer Control Company Inc and manufactured by Honeywell Computer Control Division, United States, 1966-1970
1958
Metal sub-unit containing valves and other electronic components mounted as presentation souvenir from LEO II, made by the English Electric Company, British, 1958
Psion Series 3 personal organiser, made by Psion, British, 1991. Serial number EBA 111941
Operators Console from PDP 10 (system 1050) mainframe computer, made by Digital Equipment Company Limited, Massachusetts, United States, 1966-1970
1993
Apple Newton MessagePad and stylus, manufactured by Sharp for Apple, Japan, 1993
1995
BT Voyager 2000 interactive TV system, i-TV box used in Video on Demand (VOD) and interactive TV trials in Colchester, made by Apple, assembled in Ireland, 1995
1988
Mathematica 1.0 Software, by Wolfram, U.S.A, 1988
1983-1991
Keyboard amd mouse for Apple Lisa computer, Apple, United States, 1983-1991. Keyboard model no.A6MB101, serial no. 1007252
1950
Slow-speed relay operated simulator of the National Physical Laboratory's automatic computing engine (ACE), by the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, England and components by Bosch, Germany, 1950
1980-1990
Apple II monitor A2M2010P
