Jacquard loom

Model of a Jacquard loom (Scale 1:2), unknown maker, England, 1867, (copper, zinc alloy), cardboard, cotton (fibre), ivory, mahogany (wood), wood (unidentified) and wrought iron.
Courtesy of Science Museum London

Experiments with digital data processing date back to the 18th century. In 1805, Joseph-Marie Jacquard presented his fully automated loom. The program for the textile patterns was punched on cards. The “weaving computer” was fed with these punch cards.