A page from the Bombardier’s Information File (BIF) that describes the components and controls of the Norden bombsight The Norden bombsight was a hugely sophisticated optical/mechanical analog laptop or computer made use of by the United States Army Air Force in the course of Planet War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War to help the pilot of a bomber aircraft in dropping bombs accurately. Whereas a strictly analog device would supply speedy returns that were not totally precise, and a digital device would offer extra precise responses that would take longer to calculate, the hybrid approach tends to make it possible to obtain answers now rather than later. Hybrid computer systems are well known for their capability to blend analog and digital characteristics of computers. Analog computers accept physical attributes, such as tempera­ture, stress, distance, etc.

For example a petrol pump includes a processor that converts … Continue reading >>>