generations of computers

By ivan lucas
  • Period: 2016 BCE to

    Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence

    Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come.
  • Period: 1971 BCE to 1972 BCE

    Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors

    he microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.
  • Period: 1964 BCE to 1971 BCE

    Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits

    The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
    Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards
  • Period: 1956 BCE to 1963 BCE

    Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors

    Transistors replace vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors.
  • Period: 1940 BCE to 1956 BCE

    First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes

    The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the first computers generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.