Smartphones are everywhere, and they are basically small computers that fit in the palm of your hand. There were a lot of developments that had to happen to get us to this point, and it all started with the invention of the binary number system in 1703 by Gottfried Leibniz, who was considered by many to be the first computer scientist. Then in 1801 an automatic fabric loom was invented that used punch cards to control the pattern of the fabric. It wasn’t long before Ada Lovelace published the first computer algorithm in 1843.
By 1945 ENIAC had come on to the scene, filling a 20 by 40 foot room with 18,000 vacuum tubes. It was the first large-scale electronic computer, and it was operated using the same type of technology as that automatic fabric loom over 140 years prior- punch cards. Just five years later came the Turing Test, which opened the doors for Artificial Intelligence development.
Then in 1958 Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments made a breakthrough that would fuel faster and faster computer development over the coming decades- the computer chip. This integrated circuit made of transistors took the place of vacuum tubes and would become faster and smaller at an exponential rate for the next 50 years, paving the way for the small micro-computers we use every day now.
It’s hard to imagine that just a few decades ago computers filled entire rooms, but advancements in technology and research have allowed for the development of the modern marvels we enjoy today. Now we’re looking toward a future where we can wear interactive virtual reality gear in our glasses or contact lenses! Learn more about the history of computer science from this infographic. The tech economy has been going strong for decades and is showing no signs of slowing down.
The Evolution of Computer Science
Infographic source: Computer Science Zone
