As early as the 17th century, mathematicians tried to create machines that could perform basic math functions like addition and multiplication. In 1804, Charles Babbage designed the difference engine, the first general-purpose calculation machine with a mechanical memory. The document then summarizes the five generations of computers: first used vacuum tubes and magnetic drums; second used transistors; third used integrated circuits; fourth used microprocessors on a single chip; and fifth uses artificial intelligence and is still in development.
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2. Asearly as the seventeenth century,
mathematicians were trying to create a machine
that could perform basic mathematical functions
such as, addition, subtraction, division and
multiplication.
3. 1804 British inventor, Charles
Babbage, designed an all-purpose
problem-solving machine, the
difference engine, which had a
mechanical memory to store the
results of calculations.
4. Generation of Computer
First Generation
1940-1956: Vacuum Tubes
The first computers used
vacuum tubes for circuitry
and magnetic drums for
memory, and were often
enormous, taking up entire
rooms.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC
computers are first-generation
computing devices.
5. Second Generation - 1956-1963: Transistors
Transistors replaced vacuum
tubes and ushered in the sec
ond generation of computers.
The transistor was invented i
n 1947 but did not see wide
spread use in computers until
the late 50s.
*smaller,faster and cheaper.
6. Third Generation - 1964-1971:
Integrated CircuitsThe development of the
integrated circuit was the
hallmark of the third generation
of computers. Transistors were
miniaturized and placed on
silicon chips, called
semiconductors, which
drastically increased the speed
and efficiency of computers.
First Integrated Circuit
7. Fourth Generation - 1971-Present:
MicroprocessorsThe microprocessor
brought the fourth
generation of
computers, as
thousands of
integrated circuits
were built onto a
single silicon chip.
8. Fifth Generation of Computer
Fifth generation computing
devices, based on artificial
intelligence, are still in
development, though there are
some applications, such as voice
recognition, that are being used
today.