How the Soviet Scientists Managed to Fit a Computer Inside the IT-1
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Soviet military hardware from the early 1960s is the ingenious design of the IT-1 (Интерводв?д).
Understanding the IT-1 and its Components
The IT-1 is not your typical digital computer by modern standards. Instead, it is an analog computer designed to perform specialized tasks. This device utilized electronic lamps, relays, and other mechanical components, making it feasible to scale down its size significantly compared to early digital computers.
Why an Analog Computer?
Analog computers, despite their limitations in processing complex tasks, have a unique advantage: they are highly specialized. The IT-1 was designed to guide rockets and perform other specialized military operations. Unlike modern digital computers, which can perform a wide range of tasks based on programming, this analog computer was built for a singular purpose.
Compactness and Design Considerations
The Soviet scientists managed to fit a vast array of electronics into the IT-1. According to available blueprints, the internal layout of the IT-1 included a signal transformation unit, converting external radio signals into internal electro-mechanical signals. This indicates the compactness and complex nature of the design. Without this integration, the IT-1 would have been far too large to be practical.
Electronic Devices and Computing in the Early 60s
In the early 1960s, while digital computers were still in their infancy and rather enormous, the tide was beginning to turn. The invention of the transistor in 1947 marked the beginning of the solid-state electronics revolution. By the time the IT-1 was being developed, solid-state commercial computers were widely available. The challenge for the Soviet scientists was not to design a conventional digital computer, but to integrate the available technology in a way that was both efficient and space-constrained.
While some of the electronic devices used in the IT-1 might not be classified as “computers” in the traditional sense, they served the purpose of processing signals and controlling the system. This was done in a manner that was state-of-the-art for the time, even if it was not as flexible or versatile as modern computers.
Conclusion
The Soviet scientists who designed the IT-1 demonstrated remarkable ingenuity in fitting a compact and specialized analog computer into a military system. This feat was possible due to the advances in solid-state electronics and the specialized nature of the tasks the system was designed to perform. While not a general-purpose digital computer, the IT-1 exemplifies the technological prowess of the era, showcasing how electronic devices were being utilized in innovative ways even in the early days of computing.