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John Eckert Jr.American electrical engineer, engineer
Date of Birth: 09.04.1919
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of John Eckert Jr.
- Contributions to Computing Technology
- ENIAC and UNIVAC
- Later Career and Legacy
Biography of John Eckert Jr.
Early Life and EducationJohn Eckert Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a real estate family. In his high school years, he joined the Engineer's Club of Philadelphia and spent his evenings in one of the club's laboratories, working alongside television system inventor Philo Farnsworth. Eckert excelled academically and achieved the second-highest score in the country in mathematics. He began his education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied entrepreneurship, following his parents' advice. In 1937, Eckert transferred to the Moore School of Electrical Engineering.
Contributions to Computing Technology
During his time at the Moore School, Eckert focused on studying radar devices and made significant improvements to the existing differential analyzer. In 1940, at the age of 21, he patented his first invention. In 1941, Eckert assisted in teaching summer courses on electronics at the Moore School under the United States Department of War. One of Eckert's students during the summer school was Dr. John Mauchly. The following autumn, Eckert was offered a teaching position at the Moore School and proposed the development of an electronic computing system using vacuum tubes. This project caught the interest of the military due to its potential to perform calculations, particularly ballistic tables for artillery, much faster than the existing analog differential analyzer. Eckert was appointed as the project's lead engineer, and the Moore School received a contract for the development of the computer.
ENIAC and UNIVAC
The development of the "ENIAC" computer, which was completed in 1945, played a crucial role in the advancement of computing technology. The computer was presented to the public in February 1946. In March of that year, Eckert and Mauchly left the Moore School due to a conflict with the administration over intellectual property rights. They subsequently founded the "Electronic Control Company," which successfully built the "BINAC" computer. One of the notable features of the BINAC was its ability to store data on magnetic tape. Soon after, Eckert and Mauchly were approached by representatives from the National Bureau of Standards, who commissioned the development of the "UNIVAC" computer.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1950, the joint venture of Mauchly and Eckert was acquired by the "Remington Rand" company. Eckert held a leadership position in the company, which later merged with the "Burroughs Corporation" and became "Unisys." Eckert remained with the company until 1989 and continued to serve as a consultant for some time after his departure. John Eckert Jr. passed away on June 3, 1995, at the age of 76, due to leukemia. He is recognized as a pioneer in the field of computing technology, having played a crucial role in the development of the ENIAC and UNIVAC computers.
