The Analog Thing
The Analog Thing (abbreviated as THAT) is a high-quality, low-cost, open-source, and not-for-profit cutting-edge analog computer developed by anabrid under the brand Analog Paradigm for educational and recreational purposes. THAT will be available for sale at a net cost price of around €300. The component list, circuit diagrams and circuit board layouts of THAT are all Open Source. Information on how to build THAT from scratch and how to operate it can be found on this wiki.
Version 1.0: Specifications and Photos
The prototype consists of two main parts: A top PCB with gold-plated through-hole sockets suitable for 2 mm patch cables, and a base PCB, which contains the main electronic circuitry, the manual controls and ports for external connectivity. A Panel Meter mounted in the top PCB can be used to display coefficient values and, when the device is set to the repetitive operation mode, its operation time.
The size of the analog computer is 203mm x 240mm x 35 mm (with knobs).
A first glance
Front board v1.0
Base board v1.0
Close-up of a test circuit
Schematics
The schematics and bill of materials for the base board are Open Source and can be found here:
BASE part 1
BASE part 2
BASE part 3
BASE part 4
Bill of materials BASE
The schematic of the FRONT PCB can be found here:
FRONT part 1
FRONT part 2
Bill of materials FRONT
CAD and Gerber files
Upcoming!
The size of the PCB is 201mm x 240mm. The overall height (including feet and front panel potentiometers) is 38mm. The height of the two PCBs (without screws) is 16mm. Note that the base PCB has throught hole components, thus feets are mandatory (at least 2mm in elevation).
The weight is approximately 900g including cables.
