Term of the Moment
gadget
Definition: calculator
A machine that provides arithmetic capabilities. The most basic calculators add, subtract, multiply and divide. More advanced devices handle sines, cosines and other trigonometric functions. Whether mechanical or electronic, all calculators accept numeric input from dials, levers or a keypad. The results are displayed as mechanical digits on paper tape or on a screen, such as an LCD. Unlike computers, calculators perform a finite set of arithmetic functions, and they cannot handle text. See Comptometer.
The First Handheld
The Curta Pepper Grinder
In 1967, Texas Instruments introduced the first handheld calculator. The opened unit in the picture shows the paper tape used as output. (Image courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc.)
Completed in a World War II concentration camp in the 1940s, Curt Herzstark was given permission to perfect the calculator he patented earlier. These mechanical marvels were used up to the 1980s for their accuracy and ruggedness in hostile conditions such as car rallies. The sliders on the side hold the number multiplied by the number of times the "grinder" on top is turned. The results appear on top as well. (Image courtesy of Clive "Max" Maxfield.)