What are the different types of analog computers?

Any medium that can effectively represent the state of the continuous date can serve as a basis for an analog computer. The earliest examples of analog computers were mechanical computers that use moving parts and gears. Hydraulic computers and electrical computers were developed later. In recent years, the analog computational principles have been modeled using optical computers and have created the basis for some of the quantum calculation implementations.

The analog computer uses some medium to represent discrete variable states. Unlike digital computers that convert variables into a number of numbers, analog computers directly work with variables. They transform and perform operations on variables by means of mechanical, electrical or other processes to directly change the state of the medium representing a variable.

Mechanical analog computers have an ancient history. Mechanism of Antyckethera, product Ptolemy Egypt, modeled the movements of objects seeLiner using a complicated range of gears. Orrieries served a similar function in the early modern period. During the First and World War II, much more advanced mechanical analog computers were used to coded and decoding data, as well as to focus large artillery pieces.

hydraulic computers model data using the flow of liquid rather than moving mechanical parts. Perhaps the earliest examples are water clocks used in the Middle Ages. These used constant flow and water pressure to accurately measure time. More modern hydraulic analog computers use the flow of different liquids through closed data modeling systems.

Electric analog computers use one of several properties of electricity to represent and manipulate data. The most common varieties have historically used tension for this purpose. This kind of analog computer is upcoming and couldEarly digital computers in performing certain functions, but were less versatile because each new program usually required physical adjustment of wiring and circuits.

Analog computer technology can also be performed by optical computers. These computers code information to different features of light and process data by acting directly on this information. This type of calculation can perform certain tasks, especially image analysis, with great efficiency.

Multi-state nature of analog calculation is also used in the development of the first generation of quantum computers. Quantum computers can be structured to take advantage of natural similarities between certain types of physical structures and the basic mathematical structure of some problems solved by quantum mechanics. Since quantum computer technology appears from his childhood, this type of computer is able to become more common and important.