Telefunken RAT 740

A small analog computer from times when digital computers where too big, too expensive and not powerful enough to solve the differential equations, engineers hat to deal with.

An analog computer corresponds to a slide rule like a digital computer to an electronic or mechanical desktop calculator. Analog computers model reality through 'analog' voltages. The programmer has to scale the whole world so that it fits within the machines voltage range, +10V and -10V.

In the picture you can see a storage oscilloscope in the top left corner. Below that a X-Y-writer to draw results on paper. The entangled cabels are the program. With every analog computer comes a large collection of cabels and plugs to plug the program.

Programming panel and potentiometers

Also a method of programming, by changing the plug panel.