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#harmonicanalyzer #fourieranalysis #mechanicalcomputer

(1/4) Intro/History: Introducing a 100-year-old mechanical computer

Name: (1/4) Intro/History: Introducing a 100-year-old mechanical computer
Uploaded: 2014-11-11T12:05:01Z
Duration: 3 min 39 s
Channel: engineerguy
Description: Bill Hammack introduces a nineteenth-century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis using gears, springs, and levers.

engineerguy

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Recommended by 6 people: 6 on Hacker News.
A classic. People kept recommending it from 2018 to 2023.
Presented by Bill Hammack, engineerguy

Beginner. No background in the topic needed.

475K views11 years ago6 recommendations

Hardware History and culture Retro computing History of computing Math for programmers

Bill Hammack introduces a nineteenth-century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis using gears, springs, and levers.

► Learn more at: engineerguy.com/fourier ► Buy the book on Amazon: amazon.com/gp/product/0983966176/ ► Buy the posters on Zazzle: zazzle.com/engineerguy ► Main videos in the series: (2/4) Synthesis:youtube.com/watch?v=8KmVDxkia_w (3/4) Analysis: youtube.com/watch?v=6dW6VYXp9HM (4/4) Operation: youtube.com/watch?v=jfH-NbsmvD4 ► Bonus videos: Books and Posters: youtube.com/watch?v=YXgTwrblClQ Page-by-Page: youtube.com/watch?v=rMHw9GCAtE8 Spinning Machine: youtube.com/watch?v=XPQwKRt4Y2k Rocker Arms: youtube.com/watch?v=4mBuyixt22U This introduction to the series Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at engineerguy.com/fourier.

Why it's here

6 people recommend this

What people say. Highly recommended as a fascinating and clear explanation of mechanical computing and Fourier analysis.

JshWrighton Hacker News • 8 years agoRecommends

On “The Engineering of the Drinking Bird Toy [video]”

If you haven't watched all of Bill's videos, you should put them on your list right right now. His early stuff was a great mixture of goofy humor and fascinating explanations of the engineering behind various everyday objects. His more recent stuff has (unfortunately, in my opinion) dropped most of the comedy, but really stepped up the overall quality. Some highlights: His series on Faraday's Chemical History of a Candle lectures: link His series on Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer (a century old device that can mechanically perform Fourier transforms) link to this video I'd also really recommend his book on R101, the last great British airship. link

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amaticon Hacker News • 4 years agoRecommends

On “Analog computers were the most powerful computers for thousands of years [video]”

There is a series of four fantastic videos about a successor to Thompson's tidal analyzer - the Michaelson's Harmonic Analyzer; here is the first video: link to this video

View on Hacker News

Quequauon Hacker News • 8 years agoRecommends

On “Tide-Predicting Machine No. 2”

It's not in use today but if you haven't already seen it, I bet you would enjoy Bill Hammack's series explaining how a 100 year old mechanical harmonic analyzer works. link to this video

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_edoon Hacker News • 7 years agoRecommends

On “UCLA’s 1948 Mechanical Computer [video]”

Very cool. Also, if you're into this sort of thing here's the first in a seven video series on a very different mechanical computer - Albert Michelson's Harmonic Analyzer which does Fourier Analysis: link to this video

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tasty_freezeon Hacker News • 5 years agoRecommends

On “Fourier Series Visualisation with D3”

If you like this, you might also like Bill Hammack's series on a mechanical version of a fourier synthesizer (OK) and analyzer (wow!). Although it is multiple parts, each one is very short. link to this video As a side note, the guy who designed it was Michelson, famous for the Michaelson/Morley experiment that disproved the existence of the luminiferous ether.

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dghugheson Hacker News • 3 years agoRecommends

On “The Fourier Transform, explained in one sentence”

Many here probably have seen The Engineer Guy's series of videos showing a Fourier Analysis machine. If not here it is it's a great watch. link to this video

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u/minimimin r/compsci • 11 years agoMentions

On “What's the most difficult concept you've encountered in computer science?”

I only really understood it when I saw this series of videos, which explain a computer that does them mechanically.

46View on Reddit

u/madmax46in r/compsci • 10 years agoMentions

On “ELI5: The Fast Fourier Transform.”

Watch this series and it might make more sense. link to this video

42View on Reddit

u/NudeRanchin r/compsci • 7 years agoMentions

On “Fast Fourier Transform and its application in Computer Science”

…urta). I've got an EE degree, and studying the design of this device has given me a more intuitive understanding of the Fourier Transform than I ever got in college. I recommend that you (and all my fellow Redditors interested in CS and EE) watch this series on the Michelson Harmonic Analyzer from EngineerGuy (who wrote a lovely book on the MHA):[video…

5View on Reddit

fnordfnordfnordon Hacker News • 11 years agoMentions

On “Fourier series”

Another, prior art, so to speak. link to this video A series of four videos detailing the operation of a mechanical computer for plotting Fourier series.

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082349872349872on Hacker News • 2 years agoMentions

On “Fourier Drawer”

we've come a long way from: link to this video (incidentally research into automated tidal calculation was sponsored by the Royal Navy, because they didn't want their ships to get stuck off somebody's coast, in plain sight for hours after having rendezvoused, just because they missed a suitable tide for landing marines...)

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