Babbage
| Charles Babbage | |
|---|---|
Charles Babbage
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| Born |
26 December 1791 London |
| Died | 18 October 1871 (aged 79) Marylebone, London, United Kingdom |
| Fields | Mathematics, engineering, political economy, computer science |
| Institutions | Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | Peterhouse, Cambridge, United Kingdom |
| Known for | Mathematics, engineering, early computing |
| Influences | Robert Woodhouse, Gaspard Monge, John Herschel |
| Influenced | Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill, Ada Lovelace |
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Charles Babbage KH FRS (/ˈbæbɪdʒ/; 26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage is best remembered for originating the concept of a digital programmable computer.
Considered by some to be a "father of the computer", Babbage is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer that eventually led to more complex electronic designs, though all the essential ideas of modern computers are to be found in Babbage's analytical engine. His varied work in other fields has led him to be described as "pre-eminent" among the many polymaths of his century.
Parts of Babbage's uncompleted mechanisms are on display in the Science Museum in London. In 1991, a perfectly functioning difference engine was constructed from Babbage's original plans. Built to tolerances achievable in the 19th century, the success of the finished engine indicated that Babbage's machine would have worked.
Babbage's birthplace is disputed, but according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography he was most likely born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London, England. A blue plaque on the junction of Larcom Street and Walworth Road commemorates the event.
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