Giant machine shows how a computer works:
A giant, fully operational 16-bit computer that aims to demystify the strange and seemingly magical mechanisms of computation has been built by students and staff from the University of Bristol.
The Big Hex Machine, specifically designed to explain how a computer works, has been built out of over 100 specially designed four-bit circuit boards and will enable students to be taught about the fundamental principles of computer architecture from just a few basic components.
The computer - 'an ultimate teaching tool' - will be used as part of this year's computer architecture unit and will be an invaluable resource to enable students to get creative with what is traditionally seen as a complicated subject. The machine's instruction set requires a very small compiler, but it is powerful enough to implement useful programs.
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