Charles Babbage

(December 26, 1791 October 18, 1871)

Brief Biography
Charles Babbage who was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor, is credited for conceiving the idea of a programmable computer, and being the father of computing. Babbage was also named the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge in the year of 1928.

Charles Babbage Inventions

Difference Engine Analytical Engine

Analytical Engine
After the attempt at making the difference engine fell through, Babbage worked to design a more complex machine called the Analytical Engine. The Analytical Engine marks the transition from mechanised arithmetic to fully-fledged general purpose computation. It is largely on it that Babbage's standing as computer pioneer rests

Difference Engine
Babbage began in 1822 with what he called the difference engine, made to compute values of polynomial functions. It was created to calculate a series of values automatically. By using the method of finite differences, it was possible to avoid the need for multiplication and division.

His Death
Babbage continued working on his "Analytical Engine" until the end of his life. He isolated himself, filling in notebook after notebook with hundreds of notes and ideas. Unfortunately, in 1871, he died without attaining his goal of making a complete engine.

Continuation.....
Babbage died "of renal inadequacy, secondary to cystitis."

Did You Know!!

Half of Babbage's brain is preserved at the Hunterian Museum in the Royal College of Surgeons in London. The other half of Babbage's brain is on display in the Science Museum, London.