Electronic Techniques Applied to Analogue Methods of Computation

This paper describes in detail the electronic devices and principles that have been developed for the California Institute of Technology (CIT) electric analogue computer. This is a general-purpose, large-scale computer applicable to a wide range of linear and nonlinear ordinary algebraic or differential equations and linear and nonlinear partial differential equations. In addition to the basic principles of the computer, a detailed discussion is given of those elements considered to be of particular interest. These include the devices for generating the arbitrary functions of the independent variable (the excitation functions), the amplifiers for producing active linear elements such as negative impedances and for representing the nonsymmetrical terms of the matrix specifying the differential equations, the multipliers for producing arbitrary functions of the dependent variables (nonlinear elements). Performance data on these devices are presented, together with analogies and solutions of representative types of problems.