The Arma Micro Computer was an early minicomputer first released in 1962. It was manufactured by the Arma Engineering Company, a firm that produced specialized computing hardware for aerospace and military applications.
Design and architecture
The machine employed a bit‑serial architecture with a 22‑bit word length. Its logic circuitry was based on diode‑transistor logic (DTL), and it used transfluxor‑based memory—a type of magnetic core memory that operated with transfluxor devices. The principle of the transfluxor memory technology is described in U.S. Patent 3048828.
Intended applications
Designed for compactness and reliability, the Arma Micro Computer was intended for use in space‑borne systems such as inertial navigation, radar control, engine control, and other guidance functions. Its relatively small size (approximately 20 lb) and transistorized construction made it suitable for integration into aircraft and naval platforms.
Historical significance
Although not as widely recognized as later microcomputers, the Arma Micro Computer is noted by computer historians as one of the earliest examples of a compact, transistor‑based computer system predating the more familiar microcomputers of the 1970s. Its use of a serial architecture and transfluxor memory reflects experimental design approaches in the early 1960s to achieve higher integration and lower power consumption in specialized computing equipment.
References
- Sanderson, Peter C. Minicomputers (2014). Newnes. ISBN 978‑1‑4831‑9223‑9.
- Shirriff, Ken. “The first microcomputer: The transfluxor‑powered Arma Micro Computer from 1962.”
This entry is based on information from the Wikipedia article “Arma Micro Computer” and associated references.