Atlas Computer Laboratory
Encyclopedia
The Atlas Computer Laboratory on the Chilton, Oxfordshire
campus shared by the Harwell Laboratory was one of the major computer laboratories in the world, which operated between 1961 and 1975 to provide a service to British scientists at a time when powerful computers were not usually available. The main user population was the UK Universities and some government agencies.
From 1964 to 1971 the laboratory housed the largest of the three examples of the Ferranti Atlas 1 computer
that was purchased for £2.5 million, and after which the laboratory was named. For a time, it was the fastest and most innovative of the computers available worldwide.
Throughout its life it was headed by Jack Howlett
. Early staff or visitors included A. O. L. Atkin
(1964–1970), I. J. Good
(1964–1967), and Donald Michie
who had worked together at Bletchley Park
during the Second World War.
High quality text and graphics output on both paper and film was provided by a Stromberg-Carlson SC4020 microfilm recorder that provided a unique service for many years, especially to people interested in doing computer animation. Associated with the SC4020 was a PDP15
satellite computer that provided previewing facilities for the SC4020 and a range of interactive graphics facilities for users.
From 1971 an ICL 1906A
was installed with twice the computing power of the Atlas 1. About the same time, work started on replacing the ageing SC4020 with a modern III
FR80 microfilm recorder which expanded the range of output media to include microfiche and was able to generate colour as well as black and white output.
From 1967 until 1985 several of the earliest computed generated image (CGI)
or computer animated
films were produced at the laboratory, particularly for the Open University
. Most famously, the laboratory's facilities were used to produce the raster
wireframe model rendering shown on the navigation monitors in the landing sequence of the Ridley Scott
film Alien
which won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Atlas Computer Laboratory made important contributions to systems software including operating systems, compilers, computer graphics
, and networking
. Basic software in the areas of statistics
, mathematics
, linguistics
, chemistry
and many other areas was also developed .
In 1975 the Atlas Computer Laboratory was closed, moving some parts to the Daresbury Laboratory
and amalgamating the rest with the neighbouring Rutherford High Energy Laboratory, and then in 1979 with the Appleton Laboratory to form the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
. Since 2007 the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
has been operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council
.
The STFC has announced that the building that was originally constructed for the Atlas Computer Laboratory will be updated to house the first European Space Agency
Centre in the UK, to be opened in July 2009 .
Chilton, Oxfordshire
Chilton is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse about southwest of Didcot. The parish was part of Berkshire until the 1974 local government boundary changes transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire....
campus shared by the Harwell Laboratory was one of the major computer laboratories in the world, which operated between 1961 and 1975 to provide a service to British scientists at a time when powerful computers were not usually available. The main user population was the UK Universities and some government agencies.
From 1964 to 1971 the laboratory housed the largest of the three examples of the Ferranti Atlas 1 computer
Atlas Computer (Manchester)
The Atlas Computer was a joint development between the University of Manchester, Ferranti, and Plessey. The first Atlas, installed at Manchester University and officially commissioned in 1962, was one of the world's first supercomputers, considered to be the most powerful computer in the world at...
that was purchased for £2.5 million, and after which the laboratory was named. For a time, it was the fastest and most innovative of the computers available worldwide.
Throughout its life it was headed by Jack Howlett
Jack Howlett
Jack Howlett was a British mathematician and computer scientist who was head of the Atlas Computer Laboratory for the duration of its existence.- Personal life and early career :...
. Early staff or visitors included A. O. L. Atkin
A. O. L. Atkin
Arthur Oliver Lonsdale Atkin , who published under the name A. O. L. Atkin, was a Professor Emeritus of mathematics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. As an undergraduate during World War II, he worked at Bletchley Park cracking German codes. He received his Ph.D...
(1964–1970), I. J. Good
I. J. Good
Irving John Good was a British mathematician who worked as a cryptologist at Bletchley Park with Alan Turing. After World War II, Good continued to work with Turing on the design of computers and Bayesian statistics at the University of Manchester...
(1964–1967), and Donald Michie
Donald Michie
Donald Michie was a British researcher in artificial intelligence. During World War II, Michie worked for the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, contributing to the effort to solve "Tunny," a German teleprinter cipher.-Early life and career:Michie was born in Rangoon, Burma...
who had worked together at Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
during the Second World War.
High quality text and graphics output on both paper and film was provided by a Stromberg-Carlson SC4020 microfilm recorder that provided a unique service for many years, especially to people interested in doing computer animation. Associated with the SC4020 was a PDP15
Programmed Data Processor
Programmed Data Processor was the name of a series of minicomputers made by Digital Equipment Corporation. The name 'PDP' intentionally avoided the use of the term 'computer' because, at the time of the first PDPs, computers had a reputation of being large, complicated, and expensive machines, and...
satellite computer that provided previewing facilities for the SC4020 and a range of interactive graphics facilities for users.
From 1971 an ICL 1906A
ICT 1900 series
ICT 1900 was the name given to a series of mainframe computers released by International Computers and Tabulators and later International Computers Limited during the 1960s and '70s...
was installed with twice the computing power of the Atlas 1. About the same time, work started on replacing the ageing SC4020 with a modern III
Information International, Inc.
Information International, Inc., commonly referred to as Triple-I or III, was an early computer technology company; Founded by Edward Fredkin in 1962 in Maynard, Massachusetts. It then moved to Santa Monica, Culver City, and Los Angeles California. Triple-I merged with Autologic, Inc. in 1996...
FR80 microfilm recorder which expanded the range of output media to include microfiche and was able to generate colour as well as black and white output.
From 1967 until 1985 several of the earliest computed generated image (CGI)
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
or computer animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
films were produced at the laboratory, particularly for the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. Most famously, the laboratory's facilities were used to produce the raster
Raster graphics
In computer graphics, a raster graphics image, or bitmap, is a data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium...
wireframe model rendering shown on the navigation monitors in the landing sequence of the Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
film Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
which won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Atlas Computer Laboratory made important contributions to systems software including operating systems, compilers, computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, and networking
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
. Basic software in the areas of statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and many other areas was also developed .
In 1975 the Atlas Computer Laboratory was closed, moving some parts to the Daresbury Laboratory
Daresbury Laboratory
Daresbury Laboratory is a scientific research laboratory near Daresbury in Cheshire, England, which began operations in 1962 and was officially opened on 16 June 1967 as the Daresbury Nuclear Physics Laboratory by the then Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Harold Wilson...
and amalgamating the rest with the neighbouring Rutherford High Energy Laboratory, and then in 1979 with the Appleton Laboratory to form the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council . It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom...
. Since 2007 the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council . It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom...
has been operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council
Science and Technology Facilities Council
The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy .-History:It was formed in April 2007 as a merger of the Particle...
.
The STFC has announced that the building that was originally constructed for the Atlas Computer Laboratory will be updated to house the first European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
Centre in the UK, to be opened in July 2009 .