Engine With A Difference

Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2, designed by 1849 but never built due to its complexity, has been built by the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. (There’s another one in the London Science Museum.)

It weighs tons, is powered by a single human turning a crank, and operates flawlessly.

Here’s the video.

And, because this one has a better view of the mechanical parts in operation, here’s another video showing a difference engine made from standard Meccano parts.


(from Chairman Bruce)