SEAC and the Start of Image Processing at the National Bureau of Standards

Contributions

There were many engineering innovations introduced by SEAC. These included the use of new input-output mechanisms, an early example both of time sharing and the interconnection of two computers (the SEAC and the DYSEAC) in 1954, the development of marginal checking, new memory mechanisms, and a graphical display. Many such innovations are described in (1), a collection surveying work until 1953 and published in 1955 . An outstanding group of mathematicians also made major contributions to the field of numerical analysis. Much of this work was later collected in the very popular Handbook of Mathematical Functions (2).

Many problems of science, mathematics, engineering and government operation lent themselves naturally and obviously to assistance by rapid computational methods. The diversity of these uses is indicated in a list of representative examples of actual computations done on SEAC, as given in (1).

    Mathematics and Statistics

• Tables of Jacobi elliptic functions
• Monte Carlo methods for differential equations
• Optimum sampling plans for the Census Bureau

    Physics and Chemistry

• Crystal structure
• Relative abundance of the elements
• Wave functions for He and Li

    Engineering

• Optical system design
• Synchrotron design
• Transient behavior of an oscillator
• Stresses in aircraft structures
• Plastic deformation of eccentric columns

    Business and Economics

• Air Force program planning
• Social Security accounting

But the most important contributions made with SEAC were in the development of entirely new uses for computers. There was a fortunate correlation between an expanding economy and an expanding technology that made it possible to develop uses that were previously unknown. Furthermore, the unique status of NBS enabled a kind of exploratory operation free from commercial constraints. Many of the new applications of SEAC to problems of science, mathematics, engineering, and government operation were neither anticipated nor, indeed, requested by the intended beneficiaries. It was usual for the NBS engineers to understand new goals for the computer and the technical way to achieve these goals.   Only after NBS developed prototype applications for these agencies, on the SEAC, was there a demand for "more of the same, whatever that is."

Exhibit Home | Introduction | SEAC Contributions | Evangelism | Testing | Early Image Processing |
Consequences | Development of Image Processing | New Processing Tools | Conclusion | References