ENIAC Full Form

First Electronic Computer ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer which was designed and developed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert and the team of engineers at the University of Pennsylvania. The word “Computer” is used for digital computations without human intervention.

Definition:

ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. The word Integrator is used to find the numerical solution of a given complex function. The word computer is used to store the instructions and data which are related to digital processing and it has a capability of performing functions automatically without human intervention.

Main Parts of ENIAC:

ENIAC is comprised of many parts but most important are:

1) Control panel: Controlling all the operations and it was provided with 30 function switches, 5 function keys, 13 position racks, 5 card reader 16 Channel Printer interface.

2) Mechanical/ Electrical Units: Used to store programs in the memory and also used to control the operations.

3) Digital Units (Arithmetic and Logic Unit): Performed the operations, arithmetic and logic.

4) Program control: It stored the programs in sequence which are used for different purposes.

5) Memory: Used to store data, instructions which are needed for operations.

6) Function Tables: Contained all the known mathematical functions and other codes.

7) Card readers and punches: Cards were punched for use in inputting information and for storage purposes.

8 ) Typesetters: Used to produce output on a paper tape or printout from stored results.

An electronic digital computer is a machine that can be programmed and can be used in lots of different fields.

Importance:

ENIAC was developed to help during World War 2. The implications of this invention are wide ranging as it marks a time in history when the world completely changes due to innovations and inventions. The computer revolutionized industrial automation, reshaped human society by creating innumerable new jobs and caused centralization of power. It was also responsible for advancement in many other fields including mathematics, science, economics, music and art. The first computer was invented in 1937.

History of ENIAC:

John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry developed the first ever digital computer with the name ABC, in 1945, which got patented in 1973. It was an experimental device for solving systems of linear equations by using binary arithmetic. The main problem with ABC was that it was very slow and also a lot of power hungry. In June 1946, John von Neumann and others at Princeton University outlined a new design using electronic stored-program technique to build a much faster machine than those being developed at Harvard University and the Moore School of Engineering at University of Pennsylvania.

Use of Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer:

The ENIAC was designed to solve a problem in the field of aeronautics. The problem was that a number of aircraft have been destroyed because they were not able to calculate their coordinates and also figure out where they are. The ENIAC was able to do more computations per second than any other machine in the world at that time. It had over 3,000 vacuum tubes and several million transistors which created a total of about 18,000 valves and switches, plus tens of thousands of resistors and capacitors. The ENIAC is programmed to solve differential equations for navigation systems for the United States Air Force.

Significance of  Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer:

John Mauchly working with J.Presper Eckert and the team of engineers from the University of Pennsylvania built the first electronic digital computer ENIAC in 1946. The computer was developed to solve differential equations for navigation systems, it was invented for solving problems because previous machines were completely not able to do so.

Unfortunately, during World War 2, ENIAC was used for military purposes as a calculator, which caused a lot of harm and damage to other machines and also had an impact on the war itself.

Application: 

ENIAC was first used in the ballistic missile control program of the U.S. Army in 1948 where it helped to launch nuclear warheads on target in minutes instead of hours or days which was required before this time. ENIAC was then used as a real-time calculator that could simulate many different kinds of aircraft movements, projectile flight paths, atmospheric conditions, etc., that could help improve airplane design and ultimately save thousands of casualties in air crashes. It was also used to calculate trajectories for rockets and the hydrogen bomb.

ENIAC had a number of limitations, but they were overcome by the invention of computers in later years.

Conclusion:

ENIAC had a significant impact on the world due to its abilities as it gave birth to a new era and contributed in giving rise to change in numerous fields like engineering, science, mathematics, economy and many more. The full form of ENIAC is Electrical Numerical Integrator and Computer. It was invented to help in solving differential equations for navigation systems for the United States Air Force. In the end, it had a huge impact on society because it helped in saving thousands of lives by improving airplane design and ultimately inventing missiles.