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.

Various slide rule simulations

• 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)
  • Polymeter (scheme)
  • Fig. 24a: linear scales
  • Fig. 24b: Sector
• 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
• Aristo Martin's Space Rule 80123
• Loga-inspired calculating drum & Example 2×3 & Manual (German) (scales: Wayne Harrison, manual: Herbert Bruderer)
• Otis King K & Example 2×3 & Manual
  If you want to make an Otis King K yourself, print the reconstructed Scale 414 and Scale 423.
• Whythe complex number calculator (flattened) & Description (image: Robert Dawson)
• Tyler Slide Rule & Description (Reinhard Atzbach)
• A.W. Faber Castell 342 “Columbus” System Rohrberg Slide Rule & Manual (Reinhard Atzbach)
• Nystrom's Calculator & Manual (Reinhard Atzbach)
• Calculimètre & Manual (Reinhard Atzbach)
• IWA 1638 ABC-Rechner System Wern & Manual (Reinhard Atzbach)
• Pythagorean Röther Calculating Disk (1907) & Improved Röther Calculating Disk (1921) & Description (Reinhard Atzbach)
• William Oughtred's Circle of Proportion (1632) (Reinhard Atzbach)
  See JOS 5(1) March 1996, p.33-34 and JOS 6(1) March 1997, p.16-17
• Reduction Rule Demonstrator & Description (Greg Miller)
• Logaritmal & Description

Simulation of calculating machines

• Stephan Weiss has simulated a large number of mechanical calculators.
• 3D Thomas Arithmometer simulation
• 3D Arithmaurel simulation
• The famous Curta calculator has been simulated several times.
  • Olaf Veenstra's 3D Curta simulation
  • Robert Cailliau's Curta simulator
  • Jan Meyer's Curta simulator (mirrored here because Jan's site does not provide a Flash emulator)
• Schickards Calculator & Description (German)
• Addiator & Manuals
• Comptometer & Manual

Various simulations of mathematical instruments

• Vizzini's Calculating Table (Nathan Zeldes, Nicola Marras, Alvaro Gonzalez Firpi)
• Mader-Ott Harmonic Analyser & Description (description: Detlef Zerfowski)
• Polar planimeter & Description
• Hatchet planimeter & Manual
• Wilda's planimeter & Description (German)
• Adisco polar planimeter & Description and video
• Square root planimeter & Description (German)
• Checksum calculators & Description
• Gerber's Equameter & Description
• Nyström's Stieltjesplanimeter & Description
• Gunter-rules & Description
  • Front of Gunter rule drawn by Bruce E. Babcock, 1993 & animation
  • Back of Gunter rule drawn by Bruce E. Babcock, 1993
  (images: Otto van Poelje, JOS 13(1) Spring 2004 p.12)
  • Front of Gunter rule by Jones
  • Back of Gunter rule by Jones
  • Front of Improved Gunter rule by B. Donn
  • Back of Improved Gunter rule by B. Donn
  (images: Otto van Poelje)
• Lognormal quincunx, presented at the IM 2017.
• Computing Linkages, simulated for the IM 2010.
• Der Kleine Rechner (1890) & Description
• Bloch Schnellkalkulator & Description (Reinhard Atzbach, Werner Rudowski)
• Lötzbeyer Rechendreher (1923) & Description (Reinhard Atzbach)
• Eriksbergs Loading Guide for tt Tarim & Description (Reinhard Atzbach)
• Napier Bones & Description (Georg Wengler)
• Genaille-Lucas Rods for Multiplication or Division & Description (Georg Wengler)