Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-06
MECHANICAL BRAIN .
|NTEGRATES GRAPHS.
Light Through Transparent
F.. Sections of Curves Gives
Rapid Solutions.
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. July 6.-Inven-
ticn of a mechanical brain whose gray
matter is mostly light was announced
today by the Massachusetts, Institute OF
Technology.
The brain is a calculating machine.
which makes use of light by a trick
almost as simple as the cutting out OF
paper dolls. 1t performs in few min
uteS mathematical problems which by
human brains and hands require any
thing from hours to days.
It analyses graphs by turning them
into light. Graphs are lines showing
averages, familiar to every scanner OF
business pages of daily newspapers.
They are the lines which rise and fall,
like a tracing of mountain peaks, to
picture anything from a series of bust
ness cycles to the variations OF good
radio reception under sun spot influ-
ence.
Part of Graphs Transparent.
The paper on which these graphs are
traced is treated so that the portion
below the graph is transparent. The
effect is like cutting out paper dolls.
leaving the figures of the dolls outlined
as openings in the original card. The
treated graphs, when light is placed
peIllnu u ell, quantity IcScIIUiS luIlll-
nous row of mountains or the skyline
of a city at sunset.
The amount of light coming through
the treated graphs depends upon the
shape size and angles Of the peaks and
valleys which contain the secret of the
mathematical p, oblem. Measuring the
volume of this light gives the essential
difference between any two graphs or
any sets of graphs.
Second Light Measures First.
in two or three minutes, with the aid
of two photoelectric cells. The light
from the graph falls upon one of these
cells. Upon the other is directed a
light beam of known intensity A
crank is turned to change the inten-
sity Of the kncwn beam until the
photoelectric eyes" show that its vol
ume is the same as that from the
graph, thereby revealing how much
light comes through the graph.
With this measurement established,
the brain completes its problem by the
mathematical method known as inte-
grafton. For example, graphs CT the
varying flow of the Ohio River when
compared by the light brain. showed
the cycles of high and low water, and
that they have a certain rhythm. These
figures are useful in predicting future
behavior of the Ohio The flow of the
Susquehanna River also has been
studied through this new instrument.
Solves Intricate Problems.
It is called the photoelectric in
tegraph and was developed by Dr.
Truman S. Gray in the department of
electrical engineering at the suggestion
of DR.. VanneVar Bush. DR.. Gray be-
gan this research five years ago.
With it." says the announcement.
''the solution of extremely intricate
mechanical problems is accomplished
with astounding rapidity and accuracy.
1t is expected to play a somewhat
similar part for the scientist or engi-
neer that the adding machine plays for
the banker and accountant. with a dis
tinct saving of time and improvement
in accuracy While the business man
ordinarily is concerned with columns
of numbers, the engineer deals with
functions. groups of numbers which in
dictate the way che quantity varies
with another. These are often most
easily expressed as curves or graphs"
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