Charles Babbage (1791–1871) was a man haunted by the imperfections of human calculation and driven by a desire to eliminate the errors that plagued mathematical tables used for navigation and astronomy. He envisioned a future where machines could think with brass and steam.
He’s known for the Difference Engine and Analytical Engine, but the complexity of his designs and the limits of Victorian manufacturing meant his engines were not completed in his lifetime. Babbage is remembered by historians and celebrated by the industry as the primary architect of the computer.