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Why The First Computers Were Made Out Of Light Bulbs

Veritasium・2 minutes read

Early light bulbs had a vacuum inside to prevent burning, and Thomas Edison noticed discoloration due to electron emission. The development of the triode by Lee de Forest revolutionized electronics, leading to the first transcontinental call in 1915, and eventually paved the way for modern computing with the introduction of solid-state electronics like silicon.

Insights

  • John Ambrose Fleming's invention of the thermionic diode, which converted AC to DC, laid the foundation for modern electronics by controlling the flow of electrons with a second electrode, enabling larger currents to flow.
  • The transition from mechanical relays to electronic switches like the vacuum tube triode, which could function as both an amplifier and a switch, revolutionized computing, culminating in the ENIAC, the world's first electronic programmable computer in 1945, marking a significant leap in computational power and paving the way for modern computing devices.

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Recent questions

  • How did early light bulbs prevent burning?

    Early light bulbs had a carbon filament in a glass bulb with a vacuum inside to prevent burning. The vacuum inside the bulb prevented the filament from reacting with oxygen, which would cause it to burn out quickly. This design allowed the filament to heat up and emit light without combustion.

  • Who revolutionized electronics with the invention of the triode?

    The invention of the triode by Lee de Forest revolutionized electronics. The triode allowed for high-frequency amplification by controlling electron flow with a grid. This innovation was crucial for long-distance calls and led to the first transcontinental call in 1915, marking a significant advancement in the field of electronics.

  • What was the significance of George Stibitz's digital calculator?

    George Stibitz's digital calculator, built with relays and light bulbs, operated as a half adder using XOR and AND gates for binary addition. This calculator, developed in 1937, was a pioneering achievement in the field of computing, showcasing the potential for electronic devices to perform complex calculations efficiently.

  • How did the ENIAC revolutionize computing?

    The ENIAC, the world's first electronic programmable computer, came online on December 10th, 1945, revolutionizing computing. Weighing 30 tons and using 175 kilowatts of power, the ENIAC was capable of completing 500 operations per second, showcasing a significant leap in computational capabilities. Its flexibility and power were instrumental in various fields, including the development of the hydrogen bomb.

  • Why did the shift from vacuum tubes to solid-state electronics occur?

    The shift from vacuum tubes to solid-state electronics like silicon occurred due to drawbacks of vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes had high power consumption, were unreliable, and prone to frequent breakdowns. This led to the development of more efficient and reliable solid-state electronics, paving the way for modern computing devices.

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Summary

00:00

Evolution of Light Bulbs to Computers

  • Early light bulbs had a carbon filament in a glass bulb with a vacuum inside to prevent burning.
  • Thomas Edison observed that the glass of light bulbs discolored on one side due to thermionic emission of electrons from the heated filament.
  • John Ambrose Fleming patented a device similar to Edison's light bulb, called a thermionic diode, which could convert AC to DC.
  • Fleming's device had a second electrode that controlled the flow of electrons, allowing for larger currents to flow.
  • The invention of the triode by Lee de Forest allowed for high-frequency amplification by controlling electron flow with a grid.
  • The triode was crucial for long-distance calls and revolutionized electronics, leading to the first transcontinental call in 1915.
  • Claude Shannon connected electric circuits to Boolean algebra, leading to the first digital calculator by George Stibitz in 1937.
  • Stibitz's calculator, built with relays and light bulbs, operated as a half adder using XOR and AND gates for binary addition.
  • Stibitz and colleagues at Bell Labs built the model I computer with over 400 relays, capable of complex calculations in a short time.
  • The mechanical nature of relays in early computers was deemed too slow and prone to breaking, leading to the development of electronic switches like the vacuum tube triode.

13:40

"Triode, ENIAC, Vacuum Tubes: Computing Evolution"

  • A triode can function as both an amplifier and a switch, with grid voltage determining the flow of current, making it controllable with just a voltage input.
  • The ENIAC, the world's first electronic programmable computer, came online on December 10th, 1945, weighing 30 tons, using 175 kilowatts of power, and completing 500 operations per second, revolutionizing computing.
  • ENIAC's flexibility and power were instrumental in the development of the hydrogen bomb, with its computational capabilities being crucial for complex calculations.
  • Vacuum tubes, while effective, had drawbacks such as high power consumption, unreliability, and frequent breakdowns, leading to the eventual shift to solid-state electronics like silicon for modern computing devices.
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