Date of intro: 24-mar-2026,
Classification: / Event,
Info:
At the request of my good friend Jef ONGENA
several unique electronic calculators from the pioneering era were loaned out last year.
Jozef shares my fascination for these historical objects from my CALCUSEUM collection.
Thanks to his dedication, we were also able to set up a Temporary exhibition at Ghent University

Service manuals from that era are virtually impossible to find.
The technical tricks pioneers used to ensure their machines calculated with integrity were closely guarded secrets at the time.
As a result, reverse engineering is the only remaining option.
This is not for everyone; it requires a deep understanding of first-generation electronics. However, Jef undoubtedly has the capacity to tackle this, especially in collaboration with the American 'wizard'
Brent HILPERT
Although technology has evolved and complexity and functionality have increased manifold,
the core principles remain unchanged.

On March 23, 2026, the moment arrived: the hospitable team at ITHINX
in Cologne (Germany) invited us to present our findings.

A big thank you to Jef ONGENA for the fascinating insights, the stories behind the machines
and his work in bringing these historical calculators back to life
(and in the case of the IME: 84, even correcting its original design flaws).