Analog Computer

Analog computers work on continuous signals and consist of operational amplifiers, capacitors, resistors, potentiometers, diodes, switches, squarer cards, and patch cards. All the fundamental functions of computation, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, integration, differentiation, and generation of different functions, can be carried out with an analog computer. The heart of an analog computer is the operational amplifier. The operational amplifier is a single-ended, high-gain DC coupled wide bandwidth unit, which has a very high open-loop gain, on the order of 105  to 108.  All the computer signals are referenced to a common ground. Offsets, drifts due to temperature variation, aging, and electronic noise are the main problems in the operational amplifier circuits. Hence special precautions are taken to reduce or eliminate them. Special care should be taken to minimize the electromagnetic and static coupling between different computing units and signal sources. The basic analog computing units are the inverter, summer, integrator, and multiplier.