A master weaver in 18th-century Lyon, France, Jean-Charles Jacquard was able to fabricate no more than six inches of silk brocade a week. Even that production rate was feasible only with the aid of an ...

1752: Joseph Marie Jacquard is born in Lyon, France. The weaver and inventor would create the first programmable power loom, revolutionize the weaving industry and lay the foundation for modern data ...

The world’s leading expert on mechanical computers wasn’t [Charles Babbage]; sure, he could design stuff, but eventually you need to actually build something. We are now graced with the expertise of ...

As a lover of all things mechanical, I’m in awe of Chris Fenton’s Entabulator. Using an old book about mechanical loom-making, a 3D printer and some serious patience, he engineered a computer that can ...