Analog Computers - Luca Moczko

Computer Museum at the Department of Computer Science

The Analog Computer project was launched by Luca Moczko in early 2022.

The Computermuseum Stuttgart has one of the largest computer collections in Germany, if not the world. We have everything from mechanical slide rules to electronic analog computers. Especially worth mentioning is our complete collection of all Telefunken RAT models. We also have a Dornier DO-80 and an EAI TR-48 just to name a few computers from our collection.

Motivation and goals:

My motivation is mostly to understand these old computers and to bring them back to a working state. However, it is also very important to me to make analog computers in general more popular again, because they are about to start their comeback. "Where analog computers simply have the problem that once you start dealing with them, you can never stop!"

Achievements:

One of the greatest successes to date is the rediscovery of the work of Walter Reuss. In the 60s, he built a hybrid computer system in Stuttgart that is still unique today. It consisted of a Telefunken RA 770 analog computer, which could be completely reconfigured with the help of a TR4, at times also T86. This hybrid computer system was forgotten in the professional world and could now be brought back to light.

Current projects:

Currently I am starting to bring our Telefunken RAT computers back to shape. For this I start currently also to reengeneeren these. This is actually because in the manuals there is only the note "circuits simplified". With this remark one can, if one wants to repair the power supply, terribly little begin.

In addition, I am still actively working on the work of Walter Reuss to solve the puzzle that he left behind.

Further:

If you are wondering what an analog computer is, which is written about here all the time, I can recommend my podcast. In it I interview Bernd Ulmann, among others.

There you will also find episodes on a variety of other interesting topics from the past, the present and the future. If you prefer reading, the website of Bernd Ulmann is also very recommendable

Webpage Bernd Ulmann [DE]

To the top of the page