Created with a vision to democratize analog computing, The Analog Thing represents a paradigm shift that invites researchers, students, and nonstandard computing enthusiasts to embrace a new era of computational exploration.
The Rise of Analog Computing: A Paradigm Shift
Analog computers process continuous physical phenomena to perform mathematical calculations or solve problems. They are computational devices that are capable of solving complex problems. They use continuously variable signals, such as electrical voltages or mechanical movements, to represent and manipulate data. Unlike digital computers, which operate on discrete binary signals (zeros and ones), analog computers are different in their approach. These devices are highly skilled at solving differential equations and modeling dynamic systems due to their ability to process real-time data and perform calculations with high speed and precision. Analog computers were widely used in scientific research, engineering, and industrial applications before the advent of digital technology. Analog computing still holds relevance in certain specialized fields due to its unique capabilities and advantages in specific applications.
Once overshadowed by its digital counterpart, analog computing is experiencing a renaissance. Offering unparalleled performance in scientific computing, medical devices, gaming, and industrial control systems, analog computing has emerged as a powerful force in the technology landscape. THAT analog computer embodies this resurgence, providing a versatile and intuitively interactive platform for the 21st century technologist.
Why Embrace Analog Computing?
The reasons for the resurgence of analog computing are compelling:
- Energy efficiency: Analog computing outperforms its digital counterparts in energy efficiency, promising to reduce the carbon footprint of computing and significantly lower energy costs.
- Sustainable growth: As the exponential growth of digital computing power nears its limits, analog-digital hybrid technology offers a sustainable path to sustain computing power growth for decades to come.
- Cybersecurity: Analog computing mitigates cybersecurity threats by reducing the attack surface of online operational technology and providing failover options.
- Educational Value: Analog computing serves as an excellent educational tool, providing insights into math, science, and engineering in a tangible and intuitive way.
Introducing The Analog Thing (THAT):
Unlike the ones in the analog computer museum, THAT is the epitome of innovation-a high-quality, low-cost, open-source analog computer designed for dynamic system modeling with speed, parallelism, and power efficiency. THAT bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world applications, encouraging experimentation, exploration, and creativity.
Features Overview of The Analog Thing:
- Integrators: Circuits for performing integration over time.
- Summers: Circuits that perform continuous addition of inputs.
- Comparators: Circuits that compare inputs to support conditional functions.
- Master/Minion Ports: Interfaces for daisy-chaining multiple THATs to create large programs.
- Coefficient Potentiometers: Knobs for user-defined inputs.
- Multipliers: Circuits for continuous multiplication of inputs.
- Panel Meter: Digital meters for precision measurements.
- Hybrid Port: Interface for controlling THAT digitally to develop hybrid analog-digital programs.
Dynamic Systems Modeling:
The Analog Thing analog computer allows users to model a wide range of dynamic systems, including market economies, disease spread and control, population dynamics, chemical reactions, mechanical systems, and various mathematical attractors.
Supplemental Learning:
The Analog Thing analog computing platform provides valuable introductions to calculus, analog circuits, and control engineering, enhancing users' understanding of these fundamental concepts.
Join the Analog Revolution with The Analog Thing:
Embark on a journey to bring analog computing back into the spotlight. The Analog Thing invites you to explore the qualitative aspects of analog computing, and provides the guidance and resources to begin your analog journey. With The Analog Thing and its vibrant community, the search for a more diverse and sustainable computing future begins.
In sum, The Analog Thing (THAT) ushers in a new era of analog computing-a realm where continuous voltages reign supreme and computational exploration knows no bounds. Embrace the analog resurgence, join the revolution, and let THAT Analog Computer be your guide to unlocking the vast potential of analog computing.
