non-electronic computers that work when you color them according to a simple set of rules.
an exploration of computation without electricity and semiconductors, an attempt to reinvent digital systems away from efficiency and productivity, and hopeful prototypes to expose the inner workings of computers.
coloring computers pack archive
related and inspired by some previous experiments like arte generativo en papel and paper computing in general.
4-bits to 7-segment display hexadecimal decoder (12020)
a coloring decoder built with NOT (triangle), AND (semicircle), and OR (the other shape (?)) gates (compuertas), based on a manual design.
colored and animated version by Vega
download the decoder in full size 1487x3057 (png, ~446KB)
instructions
you use two colors to set the state of 4 "bits" at the top circles.
one color stands for "1", the other for "0".
what number, according to the conventions, would these 4 bits represent?
and what hexadecimal digit would correspond to that number?
you transmit those states/colors by coloring the wires.
the wires lead to three possible types of gates, all of them with their input(s) above, and their output below:
- NOT, a triangle: the output is the opposite color of the input
- AND, a semicircle: the output is color "1" only when ALL inputs are also color "1"; otherwise the output is color "0"
- OR, the other shape (?): the output is color "1" when ANY of the inputs are color "1"; otherwise the output is color "0".
you finish coloring, and you see the digit in the display as a result!
the description of the circuit in verilog can be found in the logiteca.
computadora no(r)pal (12019)
a full-adder built with NOR gates (see logiteca) in the shape of no(r)pales
download computadora no(r)pal in full size 1200x1600 (png, ~429KB)
coloring computers (12018)
the original ones
the booklet contains three series of computers: computers that compare, computers that count, and computers that play. they are all nor-based logic circuits designed by using truth tables, karnaugh maps, and maxterm expansions.
download the page-by-page zine (pdf, ~1.5MB)
download the ready-to-print-and-cut zine (pdf, ~1.4MB)
CC-BY-SA 4.0
for the print and cut zine: print double-sided, cut in half, fold the pages and assemble