Computing Technology - Ancestors of the Microprocessor

Computing Technology - Ancestors of the Microprocessor

ChipScapesTM Historical Series

Production:

Limited edition size of 50 (production may be limited by availability of chips)

Full Artwork
(Click picture for larger image)

Mixed Media:

7.5"x8.5" digital photograph (full bleed). Archival photo papers and inks are used. Chips and other specimens are mounted with threads and/or acid free adhesives.

Framing:

The artwork is framed in an 11"x14" black wood shadow box frame, with glass, using suspension framing techniques. All framing materials are acid free. A narrative about the artwork that includes the artist’s signature is placed on the back of the artwork.

About this Artwork:

This artwork is a mixed media display celebrating the "ancestors" of the microprocessor. Before the Intel 4004 microprocessor, there were logic chips. Logics chips were the first integrated circuits. As more and more transistors were squeezed onto silicon chips the power and functionality they provided increased dramatically. The ability of silicon chips to provide arithmetic and logic operations evolved from simple AND, OR, and NOT logic gate chips, to the Full Adder chip, and finally to the Arithmetic and Logic Unit chip. These advances in chip technology led to the development of the first microprocessor.

This is a list of the chips included in this display.

This artwork includes 3 major items. It has a large image of an 74181 ALU chip. On the back is a narrative describing the artwork and the chips, and the artist’s signature. Also, included are the various logic chips. The function of each of the chips is described on panels beside them.

General Information:

These artworks are the creation of ChipScapesTM artist Steve Emery. ChipScapesTM are photographs taken of computer chips, boards, and other computer artifacts. They are sort of chip landscapes, or ChipScapesTM for short. Most often a macro-lens or microscope is used with special lightning to achieve these unique artworks.

This artwork is part of the ChipScapesTM Historical Series dedicated to preserving and sharing chips that changed the world. ChipScapesTM are great collectibles or gifts for the technology savvy.

Close-up Study

Narrative Excerpts:

"Logics chips were the main building blocks of computers in the late 1960s, 70s and early 80s. One of the most famous computers of this period, the DEC PDP-8, used multiple 74181 ALUs as its central computing element. There were many manufacturers and technologies to choose from, and this competitive pressure drove the rapid advancement of chip technology. Transistor-to-Transistor Logic (TTL) came to dominate this period due to the availability of a wide range of standardized parts, low cost, and reasonable performance..."

Reverse Side

Questions?

For more information about ChipScapesTM, please click on the following links that will take you to my ChipScapes website www.ChipScapes.com: