In the History of the Computer series, we have seen how electronics, developed at an accelerated rate during the second world war, came to be adapted to make the digital computer.
CHARLES BABBAGE
Before this time various mechanical devices, such as the 'Analytical Engine', proposed by Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, in the early 19th century, could be seen as computers. The machine was never built, due to size, complexity and funding, although funding was provided.
In fact Babbage's design was built according to his plans around 1990, using 19th century tolerances, and worked perfectly. Babbage had designed the machine as a calculator remarkably similar to a modern computer, in that it was to be operated by a program coded onto a punch card. It also had features like loops and branching similar to present day programs.
An earlier design, of the 'Difference Engine' was intended to calculate various mathematical tables, such as Logarithmic tables, well known to students before the calculator came along. The idea was to perform reliable calculations, as the people currently handling the task, (known as computers) made many errors.
ALAN TURING
Alan Turing, another English mathematician, born some 120 years after Babbage, advanced the field of the computing. Turing has been called the 'Father of Computer Science' He devised the Turing Machine in the 1930s, this was essentially a model of a computer, needing only the electronics to make one.
During WW2 he worked as a cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park, and devised a method to break the Enigma Code machine used by the German navy. His device the Bombe was used to decipher the coded messages sent by German Naval Command.
Also in use at Bletchley Park was the Colossus computer. This was designed by Tommy Flowers to aid in decrypting the Lorenz machine, used by German High Command to encrypt teleprinter messages.
As advances have been made in computing, the question has often been asked, Is Artificial Intelligence possible? In 1950 Turing asked 'can a machine think?' He answered yes, but then asked 'If it could think, how could we tell?
THE TURING TEST
Turing proposed a test to be used to determine if Artificial Intelligence has been achieved in a computer, suggesting it should have been achieved by the year 2000. This is known as the 'Turing Test', it requires a computer to convince a human that it is a human, too.
The test is based on a popular game of the time, in which the player is required to determine which of two persons in another room is a man, and which a woman. Communication is by written question and answer, ideally by teletype, and the player must ask questions of the two to arrive at a conclusion.
In the Turing Test, the determination is between a computer, and a human. It should not be possible to say that the computer is definitely a computer! The computer must therefore be thinking, and learning.
AIMING FOR THE TURING TEST
As an encouragement to computer designers, an annual prize, the Loebner, is awarded to the best computer advancing the development of artificial intelligence, defined as the most human-like computer, for that year. A major prize is available for the first computer which passes the Turing test.
There is also a Turing Award, this is an annual award for technical contributions to the computing field, It has been awarded annually since 1966. Most winners have been computer scientists.
THE FUTURE
It still seems probable that a computer will be produced which can emulate a human, and not just in written communication. Video and audio communication should also be possible. Current estimates of a date for this to happen are around the year 2020.
Tony is an experienced computer engineer. He is currently webmaster and contributor to http://www.what-why-wisdom.com . A set of diagrams accompanying these articles may be seen at http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/history-of-the-computer-0.html. RSS feed also available - use http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/Educational.xml. |
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