AKAT-1
AKAT-1 is a historic analog computer.
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| developer = Jacek Karpiński and Janusz Tomaszewski
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| release date = {{Start date|1959}}
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Constructed in 1959 by Jacek Karpiński and Janusz Tomaszewski it was the world's first transistorised differential equations analyzer.
Background
Karpiński built the device at the Polish Academy of Science's Institute of Automatics. AKAT-1 aimed to simulate various complex dynamic processes like thermodynamics, heat transfer or a shock absorber's mechanics.{{cite journal |last1=Saylor |first1=Travis |title=Chapter 6: Designing and Learning from Modeling and Simulations |journal=Instructional Message Design, Volume 1 |date=2019 |doi=10.25776/6j29-yy49}}{{cite journal |last1=Zangeneh-Nejad |first1=Farzad |last2=Sounas |first2=Dimitrios L. |last3=Alù |first3=Andrea |last4=Fleury |first4=Romain |title=Analogue computing with metamaterials |journal=Nature Reviews Materials |date=19 October 2020 |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=207–225 |doi=10.1038/s41578-020-00243-2}} The device's innovativeness was acknowledged by computer science historians, e.g. Maciej Sysło claims it has to be conceded that Karpiński's effort preceded any other similar device.Lipiński 2014, p. 136 The construction was also lauded for its aesthetical merits. The panel designed by leading Polish artists Emil Cieślar, Olgierd Rutkowski, Stanisław Siemek and Andrzej Wróblewski at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts had been considered to 'innovatively merge all functions in a congruent and attractive form that anticipated the future trends'.{{cite web |title=The Computer Genius the Communists Couldn’t Stand |url=https://culture.pl/en/article/jacek-karpinski-the-computer-genius-the-communists-couldnt-stand |website=Culture.pl |access-date=2 December 2024 |language=en}} The machine has been domestically welcomed warmly, having been covered by a host of country-wide media, including national television TVP1 and Polish Film Chronicle.Lipiński 2014, p.137{{cite journal |last1=Welbel |first1=Stanisław |title=Silent star: Cold war sci-fi movies from the Soviet bloc |journal=Acta Historiae Artium |date=December 2015 |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=127–136 |doi=10.1556/170.2015.55.1.5}}
Production
The AKAT-1 was only implemented as prototype. Due to political reasons the system never went into mass production.{{cite web |last1=Here |first1=Poland |title=Poland here: AKAT-1 - Retro Computer - Made in Poland 1959 |url=https://polandhere.blogspot.com/2011/01/akat-1-retro-computer-made-in-poland.html |website=Poland here |access-date=2 December 2024 |date=27 January 2011}}
Current state
A prototype of the machine is exhibited in the Museum of Technology in Warsaw.
Further reading
- P. Lipiński Geniusz i Świnie. Rzecz o Jacku Karpińskim, wyd. JanKa, 2014
== References ==