John Vincent Atanasoff
John Vincent Atanasoff | |
|---|---|
Atanasoff in the 1990s | |
| Born | October 4, 1903 Hamilton, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 15, 1995 (aged 91) Frederick, Maryland, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Florida Iowa State University University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Known for | Atanasoff–Berry Computer |
| Awards | Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, First Class |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Doctoral advisor | J. H. V. Vleck |
John Vincent Atanasoff OCM (October 4, 1903 – June 15, 1995) was an American physicist and inventor credited with inventing the first electronic digital computer. Atanasoff invented the first electronic digital computer in the 1930s at Iowa State College (now known as Iowa State University). Challenges to his claim were resolved in 1973 when the Honeywell v. Sperry Rand lawsuit ruled that Atanasoff was the inventor of the computer. His special-purpose machine has come to be called the Atanasoff–Berry Computer.