John V. Atanasoff

John V. Atanasoff was born on October 4, 1903 in Hamilton, New York. In the 1930s, Atanasoff invented the first electric digital computer at Iowa State College. He created the Atanasoff-Berry computer which solved equations using binary arithmetic. He also participated in the atomic bomb tests in Bikini Atoll. The ABC computer implemented an ideda using a regenerative capacitor memory that is still used now-days in Dynamic Random Access Memory. This means that since capacitors are loosing their charge pretty quickly they need to be given a new electronic charge every few milliseconds. John Atanasoff was named the father of the computer, inspiring inventions like the ENIAC, but his work wasn't very clearly remembered in the long run since it was never patented. Some scientists tried to steal his work, like Clifford Berry, but didn't understand it. He passed away on June 15, 1995 in Fredrick, MD. John W Mauchky tried to "borrow" plans for a revolving magnetic memory drum.