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Wilhelm Shickard

Wilhelm Shickard. By: Brooke Henson. (German Astronomer, Mathematician, cartographer). Biography.

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Wilhelm Shickard

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  1. Wilhelm Shickard By: Brooke Henson (German Astronomer, Mathematician, cartographer)

  2. Biography Wilhelm Schickard was born on April 22, 1592 in Herrenburg, Württemberg, which is now Germany. He went to the University of Tübingen and acquired his Bachelors Degree in 1609 and his Masters Degree in 1611. From 1613 to 1619, Schickard was a Lutheran Minister. Afterwards, he became the professor of Hebrew at the University of Tübingen.

  3. Biography Cont… Four years later, in the year 1623, he invented the very first calculator. In 1631 he switched to teaching Astronomy and died from the bubonic plague on October 24, 1635. He was 43 years old. After his death scholars found the original drawing of Schickard’s calculator enabling Professor Bruno Baron von Freytag Loringhoff at the University of Tübingen to build a replica of the very first calculator.

  4. Interesting Facts • Schickard invented a machine for calculating astronomical dates (predicted positions of solar system bodies at regular time intervals) and for Hebrew Grammar. • He also made maps and was also a wood and copperplate engraver. • He is most famous for his non-programmable calculator, the speeding clock, that he invented in 1623 • The calculator had 6 dials as opposed to Pascal’s calculator which had 8 dials • Schickard is described as being the father of the computer age

  5. Interesting Facts Cont… • In 1623, Schickard published Mishpat ha-melek, Jus regium Hebraeorum (means The King's Law, the title is in both Hebrew and Latin). The King’s Law focused on ancient Hebrew political theory, and within it, he argues that the Bible supports monarchy. • After the death of Johannes Kepler, a famous astronomer and one of Schickard’s best friends, Schickard took care of Kepler’s son, Ludwig.

  6. Letter to Johannes Kepler from Schickard Written on September 20th 1623:\ • “What you have done by calculation I have just tried to do by way of mechanics. I have conceived a machine consisting of eleven complete and six incomplete sprocket wheels; it calculates instantaneously and automatically from given numbers, as it adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides. You would enjoy seeing how the machine accumulates and transports spontaneously a ten or a hundred to the left and, vice-versa, how it does the opposite if it is subtracting…”

  7. -- Schickard describes his calculator as being able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Unfortunately, one of these calculators was burnt up in a fire and, the other was lost when Schickard was killed by the plague, and the calculator invented next by Blaise Pascal could only add and subtract. Also, when the replica was built, it could only add and subtract.

  8. Schickard’s Calculator Not the actual drawing by Schickard Replica of the non-programmable calculator

  9. Schickard’s Calculator Cont… This is the ACTUAL drawing by Wilhelm Schickard.

  10. Sources • http://www.cs.cuw.edu/museum/Schickard.html • http://www.gap-system.org/~history/Biographies/Schickard.html • http://www.idsia.ch/~juergen/schickard.html • http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Wilhelm_Schickard • http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Wilhelm-Schickard • http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Printonly/Schickard.html • http://www.answers.com/topic/wilhelm-schickard • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/725520/Wilhelm-Schickard • http://www.rechenmaschinen-illustrated.com/pictures_1623.htm

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