INS LLUCH ANGLES

Pilot Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) Computer - National Physical Laboratory's (NPL) legacy

Today's ability to multi-task on our computers is taken for granted, but it all started with NPL's Pilot ACE Computer and the genius of mathematician Alan Turing.

 

 A still from the film THE IMITATION GAME, a gripping, acclaimed thriller based on the real life story of legendary mathematician and cryptanalyst  Alan Turing. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Fifth Estate, Star Trek Into Darkness, and TV’s Sherlock) and Keira Knightley (BAFTA nominee for Atonement, Oscar nominee for Pride and Prejudice) star as Turing and his ally and fellow code-breaker Joan Clarke, alongside a top-notch cast, including Matthew Goode (Stoker, A Single Man), Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Charles Dance (Gosford Park, TV's Game of Thrones), Allen Leech (In Fear, TV’s Downton Abbey) and Matthew Beard (An Education). The film, though, has been criticised for a number of historical inaccuracies


During the second half of the twentieth century, the use of computers transformed life in the developed world. NPL is one of the places that gave birth to modern computing; Alan Turing played a leading role and his plans led to the development of the Pilot ACE and ACE computers. Work on the world's first Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) began in 1946, with the final improved version going into service in 1958. The total cost of developing the ACE was £250,000.
Alan Turing was part of a group being formed for the design, construction and use of a large automatic computing engine. During his time at NPL, he made the first plan of the ACE and carried out a great deal of pioneering work in the design of subroutines. It was soon used for solving partial differential equations for use in applications including the design of aircraft, ships and electronic apparatus. 


Watch Professor Nick Braithwaite of the Open University discussing its significance with Tilly Blyth, curator of Computing and Information at the Science Museum, London.
 
Link to video:  http://gu.com/p/3f4tn/sbl

 Colossus  was the world's first electronic digital computer that was programmable. It was designed by the engineer Tommy Flowers to solve a problem posed by mathematician Max Newman.