{"id":42380,"date":"2022-11-10T09:30:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T07:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/?p=42380"},"modified":"2023-01-15T23:45:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T21:45:49","slug":"john-atanasoff-inventor-of-digital-electronic-computation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/?p=42380&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"John Atanasoff – inventor of digital electronic computation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>On the occasion of a publication on the Club \u201cZ\u201d website https:\/\/clubz.bg\/129099<\/a>, which claims that John Vincent Atanasoff’s contribution to the basic principles of electronic digital computation is the fruit of unjustified Bulgarian ambitions, academicians from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are recalling his achievements.<\/p>\n

The principles underlying modern computers are the essence of John Atanasoff’s significant discovery. More precisely:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Using the binary number system. Numbers are represented only by 0 and 1;<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Using electronic circuits to represent numerical information (0 or 1);<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Introduction of regenerative (recoverable) memory;<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Performing immediate logical operations.<\/p>\n

In 1939, John Atanasoff demonstrated a working prototype of his digital electronic computer. During the period 1939-1942, with the help of Clifford Berry, he created a fully functioning computer (ABC). The authors also prepared a patent application, which was submitted to the university administration (but apparently not registered due to the war), and Atanasoff was called up for research in military affairs.<\/p>\n

In October 2006, IEEE Computer Society President Michael Williams gave a paper on the history of computer technology at a symposium in Sofia. At a ceremony at the National History Museum, John Gustavsson was honored by the President for creating a fully functioning ABC reconstruction. The computer was later exhibited at the Computer History Museum in California, and a film exists demonstrating its operability.<\/p>\n

In 1973, a decision by federal judge Larsen recognized Atanasoff’s basic ideas, which were used in the design of the ENIAC computer without his consent. In 1990, Atanasoff received the National Medal of Technology from the President of the United States.<\/p>\n

Detailed descriptions of John Atanasoff’s contributions are given in a number of references:\/p><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Smiley J. The Man Who Invented the Computer<\/em>, NY. Doubleday 2010<\/li>\n
  2. \u0421\u0435\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0432 \u0411., \u0414\u0436\u043e\u043d \u0410\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0441\u043e\u0432 \u2013\u0415\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043d\u043d\u0438\u044f\u0442 \u041f\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0439<\/em>, \u0421\u043e\u0444\u0438\u044f, \u0423\u0418 \u201e\u041a\u043b\u0438\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442 \u041e\u0445\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0441\u043a\u0438\u201c 2003<\/li>\n
  3. \u0411\u043e\u044f\u043d\u043e\u0432 \u041a.,110 \u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0438 \u043e\u0442 \u0440\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430\u00a0 \u0414\u0436\u043e\u043d \u0410\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0441\u043e\u0432<\/em>, \u0421\u043f. \u0411\u0410\u041d, \u21166, 2013<\/li>\n
  4. Getov V., Insights into the Origins of the IEEE Computer Society and the Invention of Electronic Digital Computing<\/em>, IEEE Computer, 54 (8): 13-18, IEEE, August 2021<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    More and more scientists, specialists and a wide range of intellectuals from all over the world appreciate the importance and ideas of John Atanasoff. On 5-6 July 2023, IEEE Congress with JVA 2023 International Symposium on Modern Computing (the department where John Atanasoff worked at the University of Iowa) is planned in Chicago.<\/p>\n

    We believe that negativity about significant achievements of scientists of Bulgarian origin with irresponsible use of inaccurate facts and formulations is not in favor of our society.<\/p>\n

    Signed: Acad. Kiril Boyanov, Prof. Vladimir Getov, Acad. Peter Kenderov, Acad. Vassil Sgurev, Acad. Ivan Popchev, Acad. Krasimir Atanasov.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    On the occasion of a publication on the Club \u201cZ\u201d website https:\/\/clubz.bg\/129099, which claims that John Vincent Atanasoff’s contribution to the basic principles of electronic digital computation is the fruit of unjustified Bulgarian ambitions, academicians from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are recalling his achievements. The principles underlying modern computers are the essence of John Atanasoff’s significant discovery. More precisely: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Using the binary number system. Numbers are represented only by 0 and 1; \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Using electronic circuits to represent numerical information (0 or 1); \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Introduction of regenerative (recoverable) memory; \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Performing immediate logical operations. In 1939, John Atanasoff demonstrated a working prototype of his digital electronic computer. During the period 1939-1942, […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":37711,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1479],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42380"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42380"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42381,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42380\/revisions\/42381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bas.bg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}