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.
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.
1949
Phillips Economics Analog Computer, devised by Bill Phillips at the London School of Economics, 1949 known as MONIAC [Monetary National Income Analogue Computer]
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.
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
1943-1945
Receiver unit from the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), designed by John Mauchly and J Presper Eckert, made at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, United States 1943-1945
1987
Factory-sealed version of Apple's Hypercard software, made by Apple Inc, United States, 1985
1994
Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, made by Cisco Systems, Inc., United States, 1994. Serial number: 62007011. London Internet Exchange
1982-1990
GRiD Compass laptop computer manufactured by the GRiD Systems Corporation, Fremont, California, United States, 1982-1990
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.
1983
Green screen monochrome monitor Model 5151-02, made by IBM USA, Taiwan, 1983. Serial number 5500156
1947-2003
Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.
1998
Nintendo Game Boy Color, model number CGB-001.
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.
1997-2002
Nokia Mediamaster television set top box for use with ONdigital prepaid digital television service, made by Nokia, Sweden, 1997-2002
1996
Nintendo Game Boy Pocket, model MGB-001.
1965
Digital Equipment Corporation PDP - 8 minicomputer serial no.857, 1965
2001
Nintendo Game Boy Advance, model number AGB-001.
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.
Apple Lisa Processor Unit, with integral twin disk drives and monitor, Apple, Cupertino, California, 1983. Model no.A6SB100P, Memory option A6SB108, Serial no. B08B831240025, Applenet no. 00102025, Manufactured: 83124.
2006
Nintendo DS lite, model number USG-001, 2006, with original case.
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
Lotus 123 spreadsheet software for use with GRiD Compass laptop computer, 1982-1990
Apple Newton eMate 300 laptop, made by Apple Inc, 1997.
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
1998-2002
ON Digital set top box decoder card, used with digital terrestrial television (DTT) system, manufactured by ONDigital, 1998-2002
1988
Mathematica 1.0 Software, by Wolfram, U.S.A, 1988
1989
Nintendo Game Boy, model DMG-01, manufactured by Nintendo Company Limited, 1989.
1993
Apple Newton MessagePad and stylus, manufactured by Sharp for Apple, Japan, 1993
1980-1990
Apple II monitor A2M2010P
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.
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
1984
Organiser 1 electronic organiser/calculator, made by Psion, British, 1984
1972
Bookmakers settling machine, Genie 247. 8 digit display - vacuum-fluorescent tube, with an additional window for a 7-segment display. 4 function and betting functions. Made in England. 1972.
Intel 386 processor, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1985
IBM model 515X-55-07714 keyboard, made by IBM, British, 1983.
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.
Apple Inc. iMac G3 'Bondi Blue' personal computer, manufactured by Apple Inc., probably United States, 1998. Serial Number CK3441WBEUL.
1984; 1983
'One Per Desk' microcomputer.
1952-1953
Elliott/NRDC 401 Computer MkI, c.1953
2007-2010
Sony PlayStation 3, manufactured by Sony, China, 2007-2010
BSkyB 3000 Sky+ box personal television recorder and digital satellite receiver, made by Pace PLC, 2001
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
1974-1977
Closed Intel 8080 microprocessor chip, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1974-1977
1976-1978
Cray-1A Supercomputer, serial number 11, with accessories, by Cray Research Inc, Chippewa Falls, Chippewa county, Wisconsin, United States, 1976-1978
1946-1948
End plate assembly for a battery of mercury delay tubes from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, designed by Maurice Wilkes and made by the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England 1946-1958
1951
Logic door from a Ferranti Mark I computer with 3 transformers and 42 valves in place, manufactured by Ferranti Limited, Moston, Manchester, England, 1951.
1946-1958
Main portion of short mercury delay tube from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, made at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England, 1946-1958.
1951-1960
LEO computer name plate from LEO I or II, made by J Lyons and Company Limited, England, 1951-1960
