THE ANALOG THING, abbreviated THAT, is a small electronic analog computer produced by anabrid GmbH in Germany.[1][2]
 THE ANALOG THING without patch cables | |
| Also known as | THAT |
|---|---|
| Developer | Anabrid GmbH |
| Manufacturer | Anabrid GmbH |
| Release date | 2021 |
| Connectivity | Analog input and output, hybrid port, master and minion ports |
| Power | USB type C |
| Dimensions | 24.1 x 20.3 x 3.7 centimetres |
| Mass | 630 grams |
| Marketing target | Education, science and hobbyists |
| Website | the-analog-thing |
Its production began in 2021. The system is mainly targeted at the markets of education and science.[3][4]
Overview
editTHE ANALOG THING is equipped with eight controllable coefficients, five analog integrators, four summers, two multipliers, two comparators, and several inverters, resistor networks, capacitors, diodes, and Z-diodes.[5]
It has four analog output lines that can be connected to an oscilloscope, an analog to digital converter or voltmeters.
The computer is programmed with patch cables connecting the components on a switching board. It can, additionally, be partly controlled from a digital computer via a hybrid port.
If an application requires more computing elements than are available on a single machine, two or more THATs can be coupled via MASTER and MINION ports.[3] The number of computers that can be linked with a MASTER-MINION chain is theoretically unlimited.[4]
Public Reception
editIn 2024, THE ANALOG THING received both the iF Design award[6] and the Red Dot design prize[7] for its construction. According to Red Dot "the circuit board-like appearance, versatile use and future-focused conception" are among the outstanding design principles.[7]
References
edit- ^ Cass, Stephen (January 2024). "A Brand New Analog Computer: Go Beyond Digital with the THAT". IEEE Spectrum. 61 (01): 16–18. doi:10.1109/MSPEC.2024.10380472.
- ^ Ulmann, Bernd (3 March 2024). "Beyond zeros and ones – analog computing in the twenty-first century". International Journal of Parallel, Emergent and Distributed Systems. 39 (2): 139–151. doi:10.1080/17445760.2023.2296672.
- ^ a b Ulmann, Bernd; Koppel, Sven; Killat, Dirk (28 September 2021). "Open Hardware Analog Computer for Education – Design and Application". 2021 Kleinheubach Conference: 1–2. doi:10.23919/IEEECONF54431.2021.9598447.
- ^ a b Valens, Clemens (23 September 2024). "The Analog Thing - The Arduino of Analog Computing?". Elektor. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ Ulmann, Bernd (2023). "Analog Computing for the 21st Century". arXiv. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2309.03971.
- ^ "iF Design - THE ANALOG THING". ifdesign.com. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Red Dot Design Award: THE ANALOG THING". www.red-dot.org. Retrieved 25 November 2024.