Difference Engines: Babbage and Beyond
Ever since reading the 1990 Steampunk classic The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling I have been intrigued by mechanical computing. This program shares that interest with others by exploring a brief history of computing before the age of silicon and giving participants lots of guided hands-on time using rare analog computing machines from the 17th-20th centuries.
See my image carousel in the next section for a visual tour of the devices available in this program.
Presentation Materials & Webcast
Interested in learning about the bone, bronze, and iron ages of computing?
Intrigue yourself with the Difference Engines: Mechanical Brains, Analog Computers Presentation
Watch the Difference Engines Webcast Program (pair it with the free resources below)
Learn more about binary using the Computer History & Hands-on Binary Webcast
Download the Program Description/Common Core Map
See what our Partners have to say about this program and others in our Testimonials.
Program Collection for Hands-On Exploration
See my hands-on collection of computing artifacts ranging from the 15th - 20th centuries. Click on any photo to learn more about a device. Use the arrows at the left and right to move to different photos or simply allow the photos to scroll automatically.
Delivery Requirements, Logistics & Fees
| Age Range: 9/10-Adult/Senior |
| Participants: 4-30 |
| Requirements: Projector, Screen, and Speakers ; 10 large tables, 4 chairs each |
| Setup/Breakdown: 1.5 hours each |
| Contact for details |
➤ IN-PERSON DELIVERY OPTIONS
1.0 hour Option: Presentation Only
\\\ $269+travel \\\
1.5 hour Option: Presentation + Guided Hands-on Display of Select Calculating Artifacts
\\\ $349+travel \\\
Makerspace 3.0 hour Option: Presentation + Guided Hands-on Display of Select Calculating Artifacts + Calculator build and Math Challenges (materials below)
\\\ $379 \\\
3.0 hour Option: Presentation + Hands-on, Interactive Use of Select Calculating Artifacts
\\\ $409+travel \\\
➤ LIVESTREAM DELIVERY Option
Livestream via your Zoom, Google Meet, Google Classroom, WebEx, or other system
1.0 hour Option: Presentation Only
\\\ $209 \\\
Funding Options
Look into the Funding Options to help bring STEMpunk programming to your school or organization.
““More than just hands-on, it was hands-full. And brain-full, too. Great!””
““I really enjoyed seeing how computers have evolved and getting to use the old calculators.””
