If you had a machine that could print complex mechanical parts in an hour or so, what would you do? [Chris] is doing the coolest thing we can imagine and is building an electromechanical computer from 3D printed parts.
You may remember [Chris] from his efforts to getting his tiny, 1/10th scale Cray-1 supercomputer up and running. Even though he has the OS on a disk, actually booting the machine is a bit of a problem; much the same as his electromechanical computer project. Late last year we saw [Chris] building a few gears for his computer, but now he’s got a punch card reader that looks very much like a Jacquard loom.
Even though the computer doesn’t actually do anything yet, it’s amazing to think that [Chris] is building out of plastic that will run computer programs. You can check out the video of [Chris]’ video of his punch card reader after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz9cM6TL6xA&w=470]
How about a 3D printed CURTA?
Yesyespleaseprettypleasewithsugarontop!
I actually have the punch card reader wired up to the 3 registers now – I should make another video of it running . . . it’s pretty sweet.
Yo dawg, I heard you like computers so i hooked a printer that can print computers to your
computer so you can make computers while you compute.
Meh. It’s been done:
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/computing_and_data_processing/1878-3.aspx
:-)
Simpsons did it first.