AVIDAC, Argonne’s First Digital Computer, 1953

Before there was Google, or even the Internet, there was the computer – and the earliest computers were so large that just one could occupy an entire room. AVIDAC (or Argonne Version of the Institute’s Digital Automatic Computer) was the first digital computer at Argonne National Laboratory, and began operating in January 1953. It was built by the Physics Division for $250,000.

Pictured here, with AVIDAC, is pioneer Argonne computer scientist Jean F. Hall. AVIDAC was based on architecture developed by mathematician John von Neumann. As with almost all computers of its era, it was a one-of-a-kind machine that could not exchange programs with other computers (even other IAS machines).

(Photo courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory)