(1/4) Intro/History: Introducing a 100-year-old mechanical computer

► Learn more at: www.engineerguy.com/fourier
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► Main videos in the series:
(2/4) Synthesis: • (2/4) Synthesis: A mac...
(3/4) Analysis: • (3/4) Analysis: Explai...
(4/4) Operation: • (4/4) Operation: The d...
► Bonus videos:
Books and Posters: • Video
Page-by-Page: • Page-by-Page Guide to ...
Spinning Machine: • Bonus: Watch the machi...
Rocker Arms: • Bonus: Rocker arms: si...
This introduction to the series Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical computer that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines-an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. Check out the series companion book and learn how to get a free PDF of the entire book at www.engineerguy.com/fourier.

[@xisumavoid]

Nice to see a video from you again. These topics are fascinating :-)

[@Earlzo2325]

I used to watch your minecraft videos, small world.

[@ravensquote7206]

Callum Earle Earth never updated to Infdev.

[@zes3813]

wr

[@ratanaksovichea3693]

Xisumavoid used to watch video 6 year ago

[@I_am_looking_for_GF]

Never thought i would see Xisuma here

[@augustosj]

this guy has the ability to make any subject interesting with his soothing voice and well prepared stories :)

[@zes3813]

wrr

[@Tyrog]

I've had to perform some FFT with Matlab during my PhD... I had NO IDEA this could be done with a mechanical machine... My mind is blown. I can't wait to see how it operates.

[@spelunkerd]

I was surprised to learn that trigonometry (with cosines etc) was an integral part of education for the upper classes in the 1800's. I find it humbling to realize how smart those engineers of the past were.

[@secdeal]

I'm pretty sure trigonometry was an integral part of education even 2000 years ago, at least for architects.

[@secdeal]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_trigonometry#Greek_mathematics

[@eduardofreitas8336]

Well but it still is

[@PetraKann]

Why are you surprised? Education was basically the privilege of the elite, wealthy and Ruling classes. So was music for that matter. The further back you go, the more pronounced this exclusivity becomes. Isaac Newton for example, was by no means working class.

[@JessicaRules]

Newton was a theoretician not an inventer​@@PetraKann

[@jcims]

Wow! This is amazing, I can't wait to see the rest of this series. As someone who has barely scratched the surface of digital signal processing, seeing something like this realized mechanically is a bit of a marvel. Now we've got chips the size of a pencil eraser that can decompose signals into thousands or even millions of sinusoids (bins) in the blink of an eye.

[@meanjean214]

As a fellow chemical engineer, and clock repair hobbyist, this video makes me want to cry. The beauty of the engineering of this machine and the immense amount of work put towards finding an answer to a problem is just staggering. Also, these videos are put together beautifully. Well done Bill and to your team as well!

[@sakadabara]

The cochlea from the inner ear represents a real time (lag free) mechanical Fourier analyser!

[@mrwhite8420]

I am so excited about this! Thank you, Bill and everyone else who is working on this channel for uploading such great videos.

[@its_generik]

It's so good to have you back!!! Looking forward to all your future videos

[@o0dhew0o]

These videos, both the information/delivery and editing, were fantastic, great work Bill!

[@MarkBlease]

just finished the whole series on this amazing machine. The presentation and explanations are fantastic

[@Salafrance]

This is amazing - I knew about Michelson from the Michelson-Morley Experiment, but I had not previously heard of his contribution to the early efforts to build computing devices.

[@edfoster792]

Thank you for these videos. Once you're out of school and have to work it can be daunting to keep studying, and with no background in science and engineering I doubt I would ever understand something like this without these kinds of videos. I appreciate how ernest and straight forward they are, and I appreciate that I don't feel like I'm being talked down to.

[@KandiKlover]

Thank you so much for this. I've always loved mechanical and early transistor computers. Huge contribution to the computer history here from you and monumental to see this machine come alive after so long.

[@vanmaren962]

The quality of your videos is always astounding. I always get excited when I see your face in my sub-feed!

[@ChrisMuncy]

Thanks for sharing Bill. Can't wait to watch the rest of the videos.

[@yeswanthbabud2622]

Respected sir, Thank you so much for your effort in restoring this mechanical computer back to life. It helped me understand the complex Fourier series in my college easily. I can't find words to express my joy.

[@photolabguy]

I do enjoy all of your videos. I have been a subscriber for many years, but I miss the wittiness and charm of the old videos. I enjoy when you get lighthearted and funny. I will always look forward to new videos!

[@kithsakhai]

this is co cool! we use Fourier analysis and Fourier transformations in the chemistry lab literally every day, can't do anything without it really.

[@TheDrB0B]

Wow I would just be amazed to have something so inspiring as this at my university. U of I really has some amazing stuff (and professors too!!). Thanks Bill for making these fantastic and inspirational videos that are at everyone's reach. Truly remarkable work.

[@swsephy]

I am looking forward to this. Also glad to see some more content here!

[@cgariie]

Congrats for your videos! they are impressive and inspiring at the same time! I use them to show the amazing components of technology to my 10 years old son! Please continue surprising us!!!

[@PilotPlater]

Looks like an incredible machine, and a very interesting series! looking forward to it.

[@MISTER__OWL]

Thanks again for your continued educational videos.. So many things you have taught me.

[@dnb303]

This is a brilliant device, and your narration is impeccable. I spent a lot of time in the same building as that thing and had no idea it existed! It would make a great field trip for ECE210 to walk over and see it, even if it is behind glass. It's very rare to see tangible representations of abstract math processes like this. Most analog machines for computation are antiquated or out of sight, which makes seeing them extra surprising. They demonstrate concepts in a way that can increase and diversify one's field of understanding. Your videos are excellent. Thank you!

[@katharinahaffner8343]

i am so amazed right now! thank you for this video series!

[@oisiaa]

Wow! Can't wait for this mini-series!

[@HiAdrian]

Tight tight yeah! I can't wait to watch these detailed clips.

[@xjohnson42]

Glad to see you back on youtube!

[@Zerepzerreitug]

I'm geeking out over these videos :D I love the clock-punk of these old, bronze-filled gadgets. Thank you for taking us into a journey of geek-level detail to how these marvels work.

[@thomasalexander1563]

This channel is really educative,, Never see other channel done this before

[@AHackOfAllTrades]

Simply fascinating! The sophistication of 19th century mechanical devices is mind boggling.

[@lapisdust]

Fascinating, actually a good machine to teach Fourier transforms! I understand that Lord Kelvin built something similar in the day, using side-slipping wheels on rotating discs to do the integrations, to analyze tidal patterns.

[@aborne]

Well done series! Very clear instruction. You have a great voice too.

[@powertube5671]

My first computer program of any significance was one that added up the sin wave harmonics with coefficients to plot out the resulting square wave in asterisks on a TI thermal printing terminal. That was in 1975. I learned Fourier analysis in 1968 in college and have been fascinated with it ever since. My ham radio transceiver is an SDR that does repeated FFTs to show me the spectrum of the band. I have yet to grasp how FFTs work. It's always fascinating to see this topic presented in as many ways as possible to continue to strengthen my understanding. Thanks for these lessons!

[@infiltrator7777]

Oh this is wonderful! Looking forward to the other videos!

[@angelkennethtolentino8261]

This is so professional and entertaining! I appreciate so much that this channel has shown. Every video is so informative. In example, there is this video about "How how does a cellphone tell up/down" and i was "meeh skip that, not interested" but then eventually i watch and i was *mind blown*.The very specific science in them is well phase that any Joe (like me) can grasp. And if i don't understand i am very motivated to repeat the previous seconds to understand them Maths. Thank you fine Sir!

[@alanaguirre17]

I am so glad you're back to making videos. you give me more reasons in pursuing my career as an engineer.

[@Electromech]

Oooooh, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of this!

[@TonyBullard]

I love this channel so much.

[@onesimpleclik]

thankyou for this series +engineerguy so fascinating!

[@mickbrenton]

Awesome!! Looking forward to the series!!!

[@AccessControlForum]

This is so freak'n cool. Thank you so much for doing this video. Never knew this machine existed. Excellent quality and excellent content. Thumbs up everybody! Do it!

[@JoshuaCasper]

Looking forward to these!

[@nikolaosvitoroulis7630]

This 4 video series has warmed my soul.

[@engineerguyvideo]

You must have a mathematical soul!

[@geeinfnt]

i hope its going to be an amazing journey mr engineerguy

[@atmloginvideos]

It is impressive and at the same time frightening that such a brilliant machine is so little mentioned in analysis books in higher education courses. I saw a reference only in a book by Lathi, I don't remember seeing any of this before. The machine is something sensational, a triumph of human ingenuity, a particularly striking symbol of a generation of hands-on scientists who, with virtually no technology at their disposal, yet built instruments of such sensitivity that they "forged" modern physics and led to our understanding of the world to new heights. Congratulations to the channel for all the videos, content of great value and very careful editing, the video is a masterpiece that does justice to the beauty and precision of the described mechanism.

[@AllenJeter20]

Great video series loved it

[@kotai2003]

wow. engineeringuy is the most astonishing channel which I have been experienced in youtube.

[@phooesnax]

WOW. Thank you for bringing us along

[@alannishioka]

In 2008 I took a couple pictures of a similar machine at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. It appears to have about 100 rocker arms and a series of pulleys for summing the outputs. It is fascinating to learn how it works and was used. The exhibit had no explanation at all.

[@azntranc3951]

Can't wait for the three other parts!

[@clockwise3559]

This looks so awesome

[@EddieVBlueIsland]

Nicely done-Thank You.

[@Biznatchio69]

I know you make very few videos, but I wanted to let you know that they are all really great when you make them.

[@NiTheGod]

more stuff to look forward to

[@Not-TheOne]

I have to say, I sometimes look at people around me, and honestly wonder how we have me it so far. Heard someone say, we are circling the drain. However true or pessimistic that might be, I find strength and faith in people like Albert Michelson. Not for the singular great thing they have given us, but that there are those amongst us that do things that looks like magic to us, but in reality move us as humans forward. They are almost always forgotten for what they did and companies using what they invented to reap in money and glory. These unsung hero's, (imho) fascinates me. I love the work you, Bill and the team does. Besides the above, I love my mind working and following what you show us.

[@ZilogBob]

My thoughts exactly. How many people have heard of Alan Turing, Frank Whittle, Jack Kilby or Shockley, Bardeen and Brattain? They all changed the world but the average person only knows about movie stars. :-(

[@kiowablue2862]

Or Reginald Fessenden, Ernst Alexanderson, Paul Nipkow, Edwin Armstrong and John Fleming.

[@KaBoomChannel]

Man I wish I could subscribe to your channel a million times, your show is fantastic!!!

[@TheMattgician]

I can't wait, this is amazing!

[@DrPotatoSalad]

Very neat, I've never seen this in Altgeld. I'll have to go look around for it.

[@norxcontacts]

Wow! Truly fascinating piece of machinery. I wish they would've taught this stuff in school.

[@Bluenoser613]

Love your videos

[@AV1461]

Thank you so much. This will be so good!!

[@Lerkero]

I thought you went on hiatus again. I look forward to seeing this series of videos.

[@engineerguyvideo]

I have never been on hiatus since I started the youtube channel. It just takes a long time to make them.

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

+engineerguy My mind is blown that Michelson could even dream this would ever physically work. How? I mean, just, HOW? My best friend took her first course ever in welding and very basic machine-tooling at the age of 61 last year and she is desperate to continue building on the little bit of practical hands-on experience she got out of the course, whether on-the-job or some kind of paid training.

[@fufdbuhy44]

Hi Engineering guy, can you make a video about drilling machines/ equipment and the advances of the oil and gas industry. Would like to see it explained by you!

[@codingSoundDesign]

Great video!

[@RothMobot]

YES! Oh man.... to apply such a device to audio!

[@lindagiovannazambanini6218]

Fascinating!

[@MarcioT]

Has anyone made any efforts towards using 3D printing to make a working harmonic analyzer? I was wanting to 3D print a working mechanical clock, but this might be an even more interesting project.

[@Avaryes]

Fascinating

[@TheShoeCheese]

yay new video!!

[@Elitekross]

i went to uiuc, and this thing was in the altgeld hallway. i always wanted to see it in action!

[@francescocatalano5855]

Wonderful

[@ImDoneKilling]

I feel as if I am the only 14 year old who enjoys your videos, I could sit here for hours watching them

[@JM-co6rf]

AWESOME!!!

[@AlbbiMe]

In university I learned about FFT, but from a parallel computing perspective and never really learned the history or uses for it. I'm really interested to see the rest of the videos! (Also Bill, can you record some audio books? I love your voice!)

[@engineerguyvideo]

One of the books coming out in 2016 (I think!) will have an audio book. I am doing page-by-page commentary for the companion book to this harmonic analyzer ... that'll be out I think on Thursday ....

[@henriettanwoke9746]

HE IS SITTING ON ONE SPOT but it feels like he is everywhere right now you are awesome

[@oisiaa]

I hope the other videos are like 15-20 minutes long each!

[@rizkyp]

Cant wait

[@AbstractCatsMedia]

Just , wow!

[@user-gn1bc8lc7d]

amazing math and mechanical

[@R3BootYourMind]

I would like to see a video about the function of the Curta Calculator from you.

[@MultiSciGeek]

100 years later we have computers which can do this much mire easier and precisely. Very interesting channel

[@snaprollinpitts]

what incredible contraption

[@promptlyjoebrown4305]

Well now I'm disappointed that my calc class isn't in person this semester, I wonder if that thing is still on display in Altgeld. I've probably passed it dozens of times.

[@parautenbach]

This is a magnificent piece of mechanical engineering. What would be fantastic to see is somebody attempting to reconstruct this with LEGO. Performing a quick Google search didn't yield anything yet.

[@MikeHughesShooter]

thank you!

[@jeffbrubaker1748]

would make a cool kit to order

[@heheheheheeho]

I did FFT with audio-files to create some audio-visualizations in c#. Did not think this could be done mechanically

[@jean-ericcampagne44]

Hi! Wonderful videos. My son is working on Gibbs phenomenon and of course the Michelson Fourier Analyser was at the origin of the story. Have you by chance a video sequence showing it with the machine? Thanks.

[@engineerguyvideo]

Alas, the Gibbs phenomenon was never seen on the machine; the Michelson machine was not the origin. The Wikipedia page on the Gibbs Phenomenon has the correct story. (I assume you that this could not be seen on the machine we demonstrated in the video!)

[@jean-ericcampagne44]

@@engineerguyvideo Ho! my God. in fact the French Wikipedia is not correct so but I have also read a thesis on Gibbs phenomenon in Wavelet decomposition mentionning the Michleson machine... I just read the english version and I anderstand your point. Thanks a lot.

[@engineerguyvideo]

When we started working with the machine all three of us knew of this legend and were stunned to learn it wasn’t true!

[@jean-ericcampagne44]

@@engineerguyvideo Ho I can imagine for sure. Now, let us think of the precision required: the Gibbs oscillation is of the order of 1/10th of cm =1mm for a 1cm set fonction so the pencil precison should be better of course but which can be manageable nowadays no?

[@Smidge204]

I might have a new long-term project for my 3D printing hobby...

[@Spoif]

***** I'm looking forward to these videos and hope it will help me better understand FFT. Thanks.

[@ericmoses8281]

But seriously, who is down voting this guy? What could you possibly find in engineering videos to down vote? Maybe hypocritical luddites reluctantly using the internet?

[@ct92404]

Probably air-headed Millennials who think it's "boring." They have the attention span of a gnat and think they're still little kids when they're 25.

[@patemblen3644]

It didn't blow up at the end ;-)

[@Tamonduando]

Sometimes people make mistakes. The buttons are kinda tiny.

[@Nhatanh0475]

@@Tamonduando Then why don't they fix it hah?

[@jeyendeoso]

can it run crysis?

[@twerktospec]

Did anyone ever find out?

[@nodrance]

​@@twerktospec if you have enough paper and time then yes. But I mean you'd need to write down all 30,000,000,000 bytes of ram and perform the calculations yourself.

[@Mo6eB]

> he did fourier analysis by hand > and then built a machine to do it Mad respect, yo. I've probably never meant it more than now.

[@randaldandal4894]

i understand the uses of fourier analysis today but what practical use did it have 100 years back when machine was made or was it just for scientific purposes?

[@engineerguyvideo]

tom soder Michelson was measuring the light from vaporized elements with his interferometer. He need to transform that data into a spectrum (i.e., intensity vs. energy). It is described in his book Light Waves and Their Uses, which is at archive.org and other places.

[@stephenchandler1132]

When engineerguy's content reminds you of old Discovery or History, and is loads better than what is on those channels today, it makes you wonder. Engineerguy, you're awesome. Never stop making videos! Unless, ya know, you hate science. Just kidding. Edit: I forgot he was based out of U of I! May have to pay a visit!

[@oafkad]

Man...I've got 120+ subscriptions and I find that I get most excited when ***** updates.

[@Xanifur]

Wow cool

[@JohnMassiass]

I'm amazed with the genius thinking of people from the past without computer aided programming, I think they were more skillful than today's...