Albert Michelson's harmonic analyzer : a visual tour of a nineteenth century machine that performs Fourier analysis

Albert Michelson’s Harmonic Analyzer celebrates a nineteenth century mechanical calculator that performed Fourier analysis by using gears, springs and levers to calculate with sines and cosines—an astonishing feat in an age before electronic computers. One hundred and fifty color photos reveal the analyzer’s beauty though full-page spreads, lush close-ups of its components, and archival photos of other Michelson-inspired analyzers. The book includes sample output from the machine and a reproduction of an 1898 journal article by Michelson, which first detailed the analyzer. The book is the official companion volume to the popular YouTube video series created by the authors. Epigram......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 6 Introduction......Page 7 Visual Table of Contents......Page 9 Fourier Synthesis......Page 10 Fourier Analysis......Page 11 The Harmonic Analyzer......Page 12 Crank......Page 13 Cone Gear Set......Page 15 Cylinder Gear Set......Page 18 Rocker Arms......Page 20 Amplitude Bars......Page 22 Measuring Stick......Page 24 Springs and Levers......Page 26 Summing Lever......Page 28 Counter Spring......Page 29 Magnifying Lever......Page 30 Magnifying Wheel......Page 32 Platen......Page 34 Translational Gearing......Page 35 Pen Mechanism......Page 39 Pinion Gear......Page 40 Provenance......Page 42 Output from the machine......Page 44 Michelson’s 1898 paper......Page 52 Math Overview......Page 56 Eight Views of the Machine......Page 57