Transcript John Ivanov Atanasov John Vincent Atanasoff was an American physicist, mathematician

John Ivanov Atanasov
John Vincent Atanasoff
was an American
physicist, mathematician
and electrical engineer of
Bulgarian origin, creator
of the first digital
electronic computer.
 John Atanasoff was born on 4
October 1903 a few miles west of
Hamilton, New York.
 His father was a Bulgarian
immigrant named Ivan Atanasov.
 John Atanasoff's mother was Iva
Lucena Purdy, a mathematics
schoolteacher.
 John is first child of ten children in
family. After John Vincent's birth,
his father accepted an electrical
engineering position is Osteen,
Florida, and subsequently, in
Brewster, Florida. It was here that
John Atanasoff completed grade
school . The Atanasoff home in
Brewster was the first house they
lived in with electricity, and John
Atanasoff, as a 9-year-old boy
found and corrected faulty electric
wiring in a back-porch light.
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Atanasoff's grade school years were very normal. He was a
good student and had a youthful interest in sports, specially
baseball. This interest in baseball faded when his father
purchased a new Dietzgen slide rule to help him at his job; John
Atanasoff became totally fascinated with it. He carefully read
the instructions, and was amazed that he could get correct
answers. His father soon discovered that he didn't have an
immediate need for the slide rule, and it was soon forgotten by
everyone except young John.He soon became interested in the
mathematical principles behind the operation of the slide rule
and the study of logarithms; this led to studies in trigonometric
functions. With the help of his mother, he read A College
Algebra, by J.M. Taylor. This book included a beginning study on
differential calculus and also had a chapter on infinite series and
how to calculate logarithms. Within a few months, the
precocious 9-year-old had progressed beyond the point of
needing help. During this time, John Atanasoff learned about
number bases other than ten from his mother; this led him to
study a wide range of bases, including base-two.
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John Atanasoff completed the Mulberry High School course in
two years, excelling in science and mathematics. He had, by
then, decided he wanted to be a theoretic physicist. In 1921,
he entered the University of Florida in Gainesville. Since the
university did not offer a degree in theoretic physics, he
started taking electrical engineering courses. While taking
these courses, he became interested in electronics and
continued onto higher mathematics.
John Atanasov received his bachelor's degree at the University
of the Gainesville (1925), master - the State University of Iowa
(1926) and Ph.D. (physico-mathematical sciences) - University
of Wisconsin (1930).
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In the autumn of 1930 he joined the faculty at the University as
an assistant in mathematics and physics. With his academic
background Atanasov feel confident to find a more efficient way
to compute complex mathematical problems of his thesis.
During the experiments with vacuum tubes and experiments in
the field of electronics, he was promoted to associate professor
in mathematics and physics. After testing many mathematical
devices available at the time, Atanasoff found that they have
two classes - analog and digital. Since the term "digital" then
oshe is not used, notes Atanasov analog devices such as better
machines for calculating.
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In 1936 he began his latest attempt to construct
a small analog calculator used for the analysis
of the geometry of surfaces. Atanasov see that
this machine has the same problems as all other
analog devices, where accuracy is dependent
on the work of other parts of the machine.
Obsession to solve the problem so crazy in the
winter of 1937.
One night, frustrated by the many discouraging
thoughts, getting on his car and drives without a
specific direction. After two hundred kilometers
stops at a roadside restaurant in Illinois. There drink
bourbon and continued thinking on the creation of
the machine. After some time without nerves and
tension discovers that his thoughts are arranged.
He starts to 'birth' ideas on how to make a
computer. After his $ 650 grant from the State
University of Iowa in March 1939, Atanasoff
embarks on this exciting adventure. As he helped
recruit good student Clifford Berry.
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During the period 1939 - 1941, they work on
creating and improving the ABC (Atanasoff Berry Computer), as later called their
computer. When WWII began on December
7, 1941 work on the computer is broken.
Although Iowa's U.S. College opening
patenting their computer is never patented .
• In 1949 he became supervisor of
infantry units at Fort Monroe,
Virginia. After one year he
returned to Washington as
director of marine programs at
the Naval Defence Artillery
laboratory. There is 1951 to
1952 he established The
Ordnance Engineering
Corporation, together with his
old friend and classmate David
Biichar. The company was sold to
Aerojet General Corporation in
1957 and John became manager
of the Atlantic Corps from 1957
to 1959 and vice president from
1959 to 1961 in 1961 to retire.
 In 1974 he returned to Iowa State
University (the name was changed to
"University" in 1959) to be guest of honor
and head of the largest student event in
the nation: Veisha. The acronym comes
from the first letters of the disciplines at
the university: Veterinary Medicine,
Engineering, Industrial Science, Home
Economics and Agriculture . The festival
is usually attended by more than 250 000
people. He was invited with his wife Alice
and their two children Joan and John and
their families.
 Vice President and Director
of information and public
manifestations of ISU (Iowa
State University) Charles
Hamilton begins the history
of film design of computer
Atanasoff - Berry. The film
was completed in 1981 On
October 21, 1983 (due to
the historic court decision
Larson, that Iowa is the site
of construction of the first
electronic digital computer,
ENIAC, and that is "derived"
from ABC) film was
screened during the
ceremony, organized at ISU.
 Of John Atanasov diploma is
awarded for special merit by the
association of alumni of the
university. Wife of the late Cliff
Berry - Berry Jane, and his
mother - Grace Berry, were
awarded as relatives of co-author
of ABC.
John Atanasov and Blagovest Sendov
famous Bulgarian Mathematicians
John Atanasov in Bulgaria
Boyadzhik 1970
After a long illness
Atanasoff died 15 June
1995 at his home in
Maryland.
Monument to John Atanasov Telephone
Office, Sofia, Bulgaria,
sculptor Valko Tsenov
12a
SOU”Zheleznik”
Stara Zagora
Bulgaria
30.03.2010