{"id":17460,"date":"2025-04-14T05:26:49","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T09:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/?p=17460"},"modified":"2025-07-17T10:56:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T14:56:27","slug":"who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-17460-who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac","title":{"rendered":"Who Created the First Electronic Computer (ENIAC)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The development of the world&#8217;s first automatic electronic digital computer, <strong>ENIAC<\/strong>, marked the dawn of the information age. Created in Philadelphia during World War II, this device made history as the first general-purpose, non-mechanical computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was unveiled to the public in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania&#8217;s Moore School of Electrical Engineering. The machine was a massive sight, consisting of <strong>40 cabinets, each 9 feet tall<\/strong>, and packed with 18,000 vacuum tubes, 6,000 switches, 10,000 capacitors, and 1,500 relays. ENIAC was capable of performing a wide range of calculations. Notably, women played a crucial role in its development. You can discover more about the history of the first computer at <a href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\">iphiladelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a32f41e719af\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a32f41e719af\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-17460-who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac\/#What_Was_ENIAC\" >What Was ENIAC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-17460-who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac\/#The_History_of_the_First_Computer\" >The History of the First Computer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-17460-who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac\/#ENIAC_in_Use\" >ENIAC in Use<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-17460-who-created-the-first-electronic-computer-eniac\/#The_Projects_and_Developers_Future\" >The Project&#8217;s and Developers&#8217; Future<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Was_ENIAC\"><\/span>What Was ENIAC?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iphiladelphia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2025\/04\/17133603\/ad_4nxeshowv94r4tgfhialf3laaztdepdqva7heumnsrrvvkataiwin75p3marlsyxjhb1darv91fz7r4goxdt5j1byn-yneoqyvhj1wd7vatbs_pcydecz6aq5r4d9-rv5sb6dtaoj7qkeylsx7jx8efnzgajuehrnbpilb.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The world&#8217;s first programmable computer was named <strong>ENIAC<\/strong>, an acronym for &#8220;Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer.&#8221; Developed throughout the 1940s in <a href=\"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/eternal-the-secret-of-the-philadelphia-experiment\">Philadelphia<\/a>, the research took place at the University of Pennsylvania&#8217;s electronics institute. The new machine took up 1,800 square feet (167 sq. m), weighed about 30 tons, and consumed up to 150 kW of power. The total development cost came to half a million dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary goal for creating this machine was to solve a pressing issue of the time: <strong>automating the calculation of ballistic tables<\/strong> for the military. The computer&#8217;s architecture was designed by John Mauchly, J. Presper Eckert, and John von Neumann, all of whom were working at the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scientists decided against using mechanical relays, opting instead for <strong>vacuum tubes<\/strong> as the core of their design. The machine contained nearly 18,000 of them, along with thousands of relays, silicon diodes, resistors, and capacitors. Its processing power was impressive for the time, capable of performing 300 multiplications or 5,000 additions per second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_History_of_the_First_Computer\"><\/span>The History of the First Computer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iphiladelphia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2025\/04\/17133601\/ad_4nxfrrglsn7om4ohzd_0bft1wu5vw68l6bhqwaltk1pna1cfdru150xkisku-hfbwf6oz4upc-ab46pia2j08natndxgvkq8f7jiqjq8lnidondfd0q5grhn0p6c1htndkobww-tgogkeylsx7jx8efnzgajuehrnbpilb.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The military&#8217;s need for fast and accurate calculations dated back to World War I. At that time, the U.S. began using mathematical calculations to determine artillery firing trajectories. This work had to be done by hand and was <strong>primarily handled by women<\/strong>, since most men were either at the front or engaged in other war-related jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The demand for firing tables and other ballistic data led to the establishment of the <strong>Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland<\/strong>. This demand only grew, intensifying sharply after the U.S. entered World War II. It became clear to the Laboratory that their calculations had to be automated, justifying a significant investment in developing a specialized machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To achieve this, a contract was awarded to the University of Pennsylvania&#8217;s Moore School of Electrical Engineering. Their specialists were tasked with rapidly developing a powerful electronic computing machine capable of various calculations. The U.S. government had previously involved the school&#8217;s faculty and even students in secret military research projects. Furthermore, the school had established a training course on operating complex weapons systems and funded a military training program in engineering, science, and management. Consequently, there was <strong>little doubt the scientists could handle the task<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Professors John Mauchly and John von Neumann, along with graduate student J. Presper Eckert, began work on the project on June 5, 1943. They focused on designing the new computer&#8217;s architecture, completing it in 1945. The device was presented to the public on <strong>February 15, 1946<\/strong>. The project was initially budgeted at $150,000, but the final cost rose to $400,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, scientists around the world were developing large computing machines and calculators, but they could only perform single types of calculations. This is what made ENIAC unique: it was <strong>reprogrammable and could solve various types of problems<\/strong>. It also operated at incredible speeds, performing thousands of precise calculations per second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iphiladelphia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2025\/04\/17133559\/ad_4nxeq5x50xj-iqrqfeafggrfff7i4wszluhwuq8nn7a7nq1-sqlo3okvgaefrwgqoap_f8oxicqyaebnk2chyg8ypeqgklo2hs0negye9zyr5ld0r3zuxhlelll1uvgshday16uzcakeylsx7jx8efnzgajuehrnbpilb.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important to note that six female mathematicians were also crucial to ENIAC&#8217;s development: <strong>Marlyn Meltzer, Betty Jennings, Kay McNulty, Frances Bilas, Betty Snyder, and Ruth Lichterman<\/strong>. They taught themselves how to program the computer using only logic diagrams and blueprints, and they even wrote its operating manual. Initially, their role was overlooked and didn&#8217;t receive public recognition. In fact, in photographs with the machine, they were often labeled simply as &#8220;models.&#8221; It wasn&#8217;t until decades later that the full story of their indispensable work\u2014without which the computer&#8217;s launch would have been impossible\u2014came to light. In 1997, all six women were inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame, and a film was made about their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ENIAC_in_Use\"><\/span>ENIAC in Use<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iphiladelphia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2025\/04\/17133559\/ad_4nxcaz0xoctehwi5flj8mm3n0zuephzlnd51mxqaw0491zzl5c2m_mz4qk12tybcogkggfvasypqjerqupjnw75lxl33exjurl1ge3xhf7humge0fgeitrq-s7anwvla9ktnrkjxxbqkeylsx7jx8efnzgajuehrnbpilb.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After becoming operational, ENIAC was primarily used for ballistic calculations, as well as for tasks related to <strong>nuclear weapon production, wind tunnel design, cosmic ray research, and weather forecasting<\/strong>. In mathematics, it helped with studying and analyzing random rounding errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As per the agreement, the machine was moved from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 and installed at the Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground. There, it continued to be used for <strong>weather modeling and calculations for the hydrogen bomb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Projects_and_Developers_Future\"><\/span>The Project&#8217;s and Developers&#8217; Future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The computer was <strong>decommissioned on October 2, 1955<\/strong>. Shortly after, it was dismantled, and its various parts were sent to museums across the U.S. and the U.K. for preservation. Components can be seen today at the Computer History Museum, the National Museum of American History, the Science Museum in London, the Smithsonian Institution, and other institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1973, a U.S. federal court invalidated the patent for ENIAC. From that point on, the world&#8217;s first electronic digital computer officially became <strong>public domain<\/strong>. The anniversary of its creation is celebrated every year on February 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iphiladelphia.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/55\/2025\/04\/17133557\/ad_4nxcmnjg5fxfykgtwtcewf64yyxvucjlfbtcvn3cm4x2n9kpasiljk2qmrgyje-4hms72xmolhvfdyahtvegavucmdudtukm8k7747dtyd9qnhmkpx87bf5wbqwcrdz9uihyeoxngkeylsx7jx8efnzgajuehrnbpilb.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for its developers, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert left the University of Pennsylvania after the project concluded. In late 1947, they founded their own company, the <strong>Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation<\/strong>, headquartered in Philadelphia. Together, they continued to develop new computer technologies, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the second version of the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC II),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the Binary Automatic Computer (BINAC),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1950, the company was acquired by the Philadelphia-based machine manufacturer <strong>Remington Rand<\/strong>. As part of this larger corporation, Mauchly and Eckert&#8217;s work was not as productive as before, and other companies began to pull ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, thanks to the development of ENIAC and the contributions of its six female programmers, Philadelphia has cemented its place in history as the <strong>birthplace of the modern computer<\/strong>. The successful completion of this project laid the groundwork for hundreds and thousands of scientists who continued to innovate and advance computing technology across the country and around the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The development of the world&#8217;s first automatic electronic digital computer, ENIAC, marked the dawn of the information age. Created in Philadelphia during World War II, this device made history as the first general-purpose, non-mechanical computer. It was unveiled to the public in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania&#8217;s Moore School of Electrical Engineering. The machine [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":17252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4819],"tags":[7135,7138,7127,7139,7132,7136,7129,7137,7130,6988,7133,7126,7128,7134,7131],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[83],"class_list":["post-17460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-innovator","tag-ballistic-calculations","tag-computer-history","tag-early-computing","tag-eckert-mauchly-corporation","tag-eniac-computer","tag-first-electronic-computer","tag-j-presper-eckert","tag-john-mauchly","tag-moore-school-of-engineering","tag-philadelphia-history","tag-the-eniac-six","tag-university-of-pennsylvania","tag-vacuum-tube-computers","tag-women-programmers","tag-world-war-ii-technology","moimportance-golovna-novyna","moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","motype-eternal","moformat-longread-short"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/516"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17460"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17463,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17460\/revisions\/17463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17460"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=17460"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=17460"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphiladelphia.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=17460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}