Logic Chips - Ancestors of the Microprocessor

ChipScapes

$245.00 

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About this Artwork

This listing is for a mixed media artwork displaying the logic chips that preceded the microprocessor. As more and more transistors were squeezed onto silicon chips the power and functionality they provided increased dramatically. The ability of silicon chips to provide arithmetic and logic operations evolved from simple AND, OR, and NOT logic gate chips, to the Full Adder chip, and finally to the Arithmetic and Logic Unit chip. These advances in chip technology led to the development of the first microprocessor.

Logics chips were the main building blocks of computers in the late 1960s, 70s and early 80s. One of the most famous computers of this period, the DEC PDP-8, used multiple 74181 ALUs as its central computing element. There were many manufacturers and technologies to choose from, and this competitive pressure drove the rapid advancement of chip technology. Transistor-to-Transistor Logic (TTL) came to dominate this period due to the availability of a wide range of standardized parts, low cost, and reasonable performance. These are the types of logic chips highlighted in this artwork: AND, OR, NOT, Half Adder (HA), Full Adder (FA), 4-bit Adder, Comparator, 4-bit ALU, and the Look-ahead Carry. The chips are made by Texas Instruments, Fairchild, Motorola, National Semiconductor, and Signetics.

Framing: 

The artwork is framed in an 11"x 14" black shadow box frame, with glass. All framing materials are acid-free. A narrative about the artwork that includes the artist’s signature is placed on the back of the artwork.

Please note:  The look of the artifacts in the artworks may vary, each piece is unique.