Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer

The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was one of the first fully electronic digital computers, developed in the 1940s. It used thousands of vacuum tubes to perform calculations rapidly, initially designed to compute artillery firing tables for the military. ENIAC could process complex mathematical operations much faster than previous mechanical or manual methods. It marked a major step in computing technology, laying the groundwork for modern computers by demonstrating how electronic circuits could perform automatic, programmable calculations efficiently and reliably.