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Types of Computer: Analog Computers

Analog computers process continuous analog data directly from sensors and measurements without conversion. They are faster than digital computers but lack precision and memory. Digital computers represent all data numerically in binary digits (0s and 1s) and can perform arithmetic and logical operations accurately. While slower, they have memory and store information. Hybrid computers combine analog and digital components to leverage the speed of analog processing and accuracy/memory of digital for applications involving both continuous and discrete data types.

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JohnAmielAlmero
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34 views

Types of Computer: Analog Computers

Analog computers process continuous analog data directly from sensors and measurements without conversion. They are faster than digital computers but lack precision and memory. Digital computers represent all data numerically in binary digits (0s and 1s) and can perform arithmetic and logical operations accurately. While slower, they have memory and store information. Hybrid computers combine analog and digital components to leverage the speed of analog processing and accuracy/memory of digital for applications involving both continuous and discrete data types.

Uploaded by

JohnAmielAlmero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Almero, Beatrice S.

BSBA HRDM 1-5D

TYPES OF COMPUTER
Analog Computers
Analog computers are used to process analog data. Analog data is of continuous nature and
which is not discrete or separate. Such type of data includes temperature, pressure, speed
weight, voltage, depth etc. These quantities are continuous and having an infinite variety of
values.
It measures continuous changes in some physical quantity e.g. The Speedometer of a car
measures speed, the change of temperature
is measured by a Thermometer, the weight is measured by Weights machine. These computers
are ideal in situations where data can be accepted directly from measuring instrument without
having to convert it into numbers or codes.
Analog computers are the first computers being developed and provided the basis for the
development of the modern digital computers. Analog computers are widely used for certain
specialized engineering and scientific applications, for calculation and measurement of analog
quantities. They are frequently used to control process such as those found in oil refinery where
flow and temperature measurements are important. They are used for example in paper making
and in chemical industry. Analog computers do not require any storage capability because they
measure and compare quantities in a single operation. Output from an analog computer is
generally in the form of readings on a series of dial (Speedometer of a car) or a graph on strip
chart.

Digital Computers
A Digital Computer, as its name implies, works with digits to represent numerals, letters or other
special symbols. Digital Computers operate on inputs which are ON-OFF type and its output is
also in the form of ON-OFF signal. Normally, an ON is represented by a 1 and an OFF is
represented by a 0. So we can say that digital computers process information which is based on
the presence or the absence of an electrical charge or we prefer to say a binary 1 or 0.
A digital computer can be used to process numeric as well as non-numeric data. It can perform
arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and also logical
operations. Most of the computers available today are digital computers. The most common
examples of digital computers are accounting machines and calculators.

The results of digital computers are more accurate than the results of analog computers. Analog
computers are faster than digital. Analog computers lack memory whereas digital computers
store information. We can say that digital computers count and analog computers measures.
Hybrid Computers
A hybrid is a combination of digital and analog computers. It combines the best features of both
types of computers, i-e. It has the speed of analog computer and the memory and accuracy of
digital computer. Hybrid computers are used mainly in specialized applications where both kinds
of data need to be processed. Therefore, they help the user, to process both continuous and
discrete data. For example a petrol pump contains a processor that converts fuel flow
measurements into quantity and price values. In hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU), an analog
device is used which measures patient's blood pressure and temperature etc, which are then
converted and displayed in the form of digits. Hybrid computers for example are used for
scientific calculations, in defense and radar systems.

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