Early Russian Hydraulic Computer

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By Michael Colombo
Posted 2012/01/24 @ 12:00 pm
Category Computers & Mobile, Electronics

In the heyday of analog computing, Vladimir Lukyanov designed an advanced computer that used water as the storage media. Various tubes, tanks, valves, pumps and sluices churned out solutions for the user based on variables such as changing tax rates or increasing money supply. From the Russian magazine Science and Life:

Built in 1936, this machine was “the world’s first computer for solving [partial] differential equations,” which “for half a century has been the only means of calculations of a wide range of problems in mathematical physics.” Absolutely its most amazing aspect is that solving such complex mathematical equations meant playing around with a series of interconnected, water-filled glass tubes. You “calculated” with plumbing.

[via Pruned]

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12 Responses to Early Russian Hydraulic Computer

Nate on January 24th, 2012 at 6:45 pm said:

“Various tubes, tanks, valves, pumps and sluices churned out solutions for the user….” haha, I see what you did there.

In any case, that’s pretty awesome…googling for some (hopefully) video and/or further information

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Jordanis on January 24th, 2012 at 11:57 pm said:

Fortunately, we do not live on the Disc, and so the hydraulic computer does not accidentally magically interface with reality in order to add or remove gold from vaults.

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- Darrel E. Edson on January 25th, 2012 at 6:26 am said:
  
  ahh man! You beat me to it!
  
  Reply ↓
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freetogeekAde on January 25th, 2012 at 6:06 am said:

I saw a Phillips Machine in the science museum. It was created to simulate UK economics. If you are interested, I found a good video of a working version here:

http://www.sms.cam.ac.uk/media/1094078

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- Daniel Kim on January 25th, 2012 at 7:37 am said:
  
  I am watching this video now. I love the warning they put in it:
  
  “Do not put 240 Volts into water. It is dangerous and could kill you.”
  
  Reply ↓
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www.itrentals.com on April 30th, 2012 at 5:32 am said:

“you calculated with plumbing” – I like that expression. It’d be good if they created a working model, i.e at a science museum. It would be cool to see how it worked.

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jamesskaar on October 23rd, 2012 at 2:11 pm said:

how about using some modern photo etching to miniaturise one? or even a better one? non-electric computing would be good in the case of emp strikes, or zombies trying to eat the warm generators.

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