We are always impressed with something so simple can actually be so complex. For example, what would you think goes into an analog computer? Of course, a “real” analog computer has opamps that can do ...

When your only tool is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. That’s an old saying and perhaps somewhat obvious, but our tools do color our solutions and sometimes in very subtle ways. For ...

At one time a scientist or engineer trying to solve a tough problem with electronic computation had the choice of an analog computer, a digital computer, or both together in a hybrid configuration.

A “cheap as chips” open-source Analog Computer can run circles around a Raspberry Pi in solving differential equations and for simulating natural phenomena. To keep costs down, the Anabrid team ...

A device that processes infinitely varying signals, such as voltage or frequencies. A thermometer is a simple analog computer. As the temperature varies, the mercury moves correspondingly. A slide ...

Researchers at Cornell University have developed an electronic chip that they describe as a "microwave brain." The simplified chip is analog rather than digital, yet can process ultrafast data and ...

(Nanowerk Spotlight) The pursuit of faster and more efficient computing has been a driving force in technological progress for decades. As the demand for computational power continues to grow, ...

A transistor, conceived of in digital terms, has two states: on and off, which can represent the 1s and 0s of binary arithmetic. But in analog terms, the transistor has an infinite number of states, ...

The distinction between analog and digital signals is very simple, but it can still be a challenge to wrap one's mind around the concepts that define the two systems. Just when you think you've got it ...

In 1961, the best general purpose desktop computer money could buy was the Pace TR-48. At just 400 pounds and $25K, the only downside was that it was a little tough to program. That's because the ...