Simulations and animations

of historical calculating instruments

A series of ALRO calculating disks has been simulated online.

The MIR article “De algemene rekenschijven van ALRO” gives a general introduction to the Dutch slide rule manufacturer ALRO (in Dutch).

More information is given in Otto van Poelje's book “The ALRO Catalogue”.

A special medical application was the “Klinische Rekencirkel van Dr. A. Lips”, produced by ALRO.

For a description of this calculating disc (in Dutch), see the article in MIR 50 of april 2009, p. 33–38.

Have a look at the original manual of the Lips Rekencirkel, in Dutch.

This calculating disc can be manipulated virtually in the "LIPS" online animation, designed by Peter Bloemendaal.

A Dutch design from 2011 is the virtual slide rule by Olaf Veenstra: YASS = “Yet Another Slide rule Simulation”.
This is a 3-D computer simulation of an existing type of slide rule, the Pickett N909-ES, to be executed on a PC.
The 3-dimensional Pickett slide rule by Olaf, in all details, can be viewed from any position in space, and is actually usable for calculations.

Special properties:

VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) has been used for the implementation. The free viewer plug-in by Bitmanagement Software has to be installed. Off-line viewing is possible too.
Apart from mouse control, some keyboard shortcuts are available for moving or zooming of the slide rule (see picture at the left).
Zooming in is possible without loss of quality.
The model of the N909-ES is realistic, but there is also an educational mode in which particular scales can be hidden, or a digital read-out is supplied.
The backside is likewise realistic, with the conversions between physical units following the intuitive method of bi-directional arrows between the units in each pair.
All details of installation and usage can be found on the YASS website.

Various slide rule simulations

Make your own simulation!
Use the online simulator for calculating discs or slide rules. See the (Dutch) manual in MIR 84 page 4–6.

Derek's Virtual Slide Rule Gallery Derek Ross
Collection of Slide Rule replicas Robert P. Wolf
Slide rule emulator lists a lot of (small) emulations of well-known slide rules, but also allows you to compose your own slide rule.
Digital Slide Rule can be used online as well as on a desktop computer or as a mobile app. The online version is very slow. The Animated Software Company.
Spitzglass (description: Robert Adams, image: US Patent 1,145,042)
Richardson’s 1898 Slide Rule (description: José Fernandez)
LOGA calculating discs (photos: Nico Smallenburg)
- LOGA Modell Präzision 6400 A ‰, outer scale and cursor can be rotated.
- LOGA Modell TOPO 6400 A ‰ (front and back), inner scales and cursor can be rotated.
- bonus: LOGA 75 Mod RZ, LOGA 75 E, LOGA 75 EA, LOGA 75 T, LOGA Terminator, LOGA 30 Rtx, LOGA 30 Tt, LOGA 30 RC LOGA 30 E (oxygen calculator), LOGA 30 sT, LOGA slide rule
Cask Gauging (Werner H. Rudowski)
Flying Fish I-J (photo: Jorge Fabregas)
ML 420A Relative Humidity Calculator (Chris Hakkaart)
Takamatsu, inner scale and cursor can be rotated. (photo: Chris Hakkaart)
Stanley Pipe Calculation Slide Rule, two slides can be shifted. (photo: Chris Hakkaart)
ALKU (photo: David Rance, Ronald van Riet)
IWA-14548 Herzinfarkt Risiko-Rechner
Loga-inspired calculating drum & Example 2×3 & Manual (German) (scales: Wayne Harrison, manual: Herbert Bruderer)
Otis King K & Example 2×3 & Manual
Whythe complex number calculator (flattened) & Description (image: Robert Dawson)

Simulation of calculating machines

Stephan Weiss has simulated a large number of mechanical calculators.
The famous Curta calculator has been simulated several times.
Jan Meyer's Curta simulator (mirrored here because Jan's site does not provide a Flash emulator)