Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz invented the first mechanical calculating machine capable of performing all four types of basic arithmetic operations. This was a milestone in the history of technology. Calculating machines were constructed according to these principles up until the 1970s. With his invention of the binary number system, Leibniz also laid the foundations for today’s classical computer technology.
The objects displayed here illustrate the decisive stages of these developments and, simultaneously, the lived history of calculation and computing technology in everyday scientific life – from the early days of the Technische Hochschule up to today’s Leibniz University Hannover. You can see early mechanical calculation aids and (electro-)mechanical calculating machines, which sped up and automated mathematical calculations, as well as the earliest computers, which stored and processed information as bits. The transition from bit to quantum bit (qubit) marked the start of a new chapter: Quantum computers use quantum mechanical effects such as superposition and entanglement. They represent the enduring innovative strength of Leibniz University Hannover, which consistently conducts research and teaching in the dynamic space where tradition and future intersect – in the spirit of Leibniz!
The special exhibition showcases selected “treasures” from Leibniz University Hannover’s collection of calculating and computing technology. It invites visitors to discover the material culture of mathematical calculation as evidence of scientific curiosity, technical precision and visionary thinking.
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