Sulfuric acid and jacquard loom: what they have in common

1. Step 1. Sulfuric acid — is used in — Chemical plant. The first chemical plants produced sulfuric acid and soda.
2. Step 2. Chemical plant — has part — Programmable logic controller. Process control automation.
3. Step 3. Programmable logic controller — evolved from — Relay. It replaced relay cabinets.
4. Step 4. Relay — is part of — Harvard Mark I. The Mark I was electromechanical, built from relays.
5. Step 5. Harvard Mark I — was inspired by — Babbage’s Analytical Engine. Howard Aiken named Babbage’s work as the source of his idea.
6. Step 6. Babbage’s Analytical Engine — was inspired by — Jacquard loom. Babbage borrowed Jacquard’s punched cards directly for entering operations and data; Ada Lovelace compared the machine to the Jacquard loom.

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