Definitions[]
An analog computer is
| “ | a device that performs operations on data that are represented within the device by continuous variables having a physical resemblance to the quantities being represented.[1] | ” |
| “ | [a] computer whose operation is based on analog signals and that does not use Boolean logic operations and does not reject noise.[2] | ” |
Overview[]
The earliest analog computers were constructed with purely mechanical components, such as levers, cogs, cams, discs, and gears. These components represented the quantities being manipulated or the operator-inserted values. Modern analog computers usually employ electrical parameters, such as voltages, resistances, or currents to represent the quantities being manipulated.
References[]
- ↑ ATIS Telecom Glossary 2007 (full-text).
- ↑ Quantum Computing: Progress and Prospects, at 245.