Bendix G-15 Central Processing Unit
date: label: date made
content: ca 1956-1960
name: label: maker
content: Bendix
notes: label: Description
content: The Bendix G-15 computer, first introduced in 1954, sold in several versions - a total of some four hundred of the machines were built. This was the first successfully marked computer aimed at "small" users with special needs for the numeric solution of systems of differential equations. Bendix had obtained the rights to the original US digital differential analyzer known as the MADDIDA; the G-15 was the company's attempt (especially in the Model 15D) to incorporate the special-purpose features of the MADDIDA into a general purpose computer. One of the chief designers - and the owner and donor of this example - was Henry D. Huskey who had worked on the ACE computer project at the National Physical Laboratory in England before coming to the National Bureau of Standards where he attempted to incorporate concepts from the ACE into the one-of-a kind Standards Western Automatic Computer (SWAC). He would do the same with the commercial G-15.
label: Description
content: This is the main unit of the minicomputer. The cabinet is steel with a blue-green wrinkle finish. The control panel is on the front, with black plastic knobs and switches, as well as several indicator lights. The input system is a reel-to-reel tape cartridge, wish is inserted above the control panel. A hinged drawer on the right give access to the plug-in units. Two removable panels on the lower right and left sides give access to the memory drum, motors, fans and such. In addition, there is a small removable panel below the control panel. All the connector cables are attached. The object is marked: BENDIX G-15. It also is marked: Serial No. 323 (/) Model G-15D.
label: Description
content: For related documentation, see acquisition 1988.3106.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry D. and Velma R. Huskey
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1988.0435.01
label: catalog number
content: 1988.0435.01
label: accession number
content: 1988.0435
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Minicomputer
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 61 1/2 in x 28 in x 30 1/2 in; 156.21 cm x 71.12 cm x 77.47 cm