EKVM "VEGA"

The first Soviet Electronic Calculator

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky

Production VEGA. Compare this image with the prototypes also shown on this page. Each of the 8 "windows" could display 3 digits.

In 1961 a delegation of Scientists from the USSR visited an exhibition of industrial equipment in England, at which was demonstrated the first completely electronic calculator, the Anita MK-8. After their return to the USSR, it was accepted that there was a need create a domesticially produced completely electronic calculator. From 1961, a group of the scientific employees of the Leningrad department of Central economic-mathematical institute Academy of Sciences USSR - consisting of Vladimir Marakhosky, Evgeny Kanevsky and Galina Menderskaya - begun to develop the first Soviet calculator, which was codenamed "Vega".

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky The copyright/patent certificate issued to Evgeny Kanevsky for his work on the VEGA calculator. Date of the patent is May 8th, 1963. Click on the image for a close-up.

In November, 1962 the calculator began to work.

For evaluation by a State commission, three machines were created simultaneously, under codenames "Vega", "Lada" and "Vyatka-E". After the trials, the winning design was announced: the "Vega", and a decision to manufacture this machine was made. For their work on the Vega, the developers obtained a copyright/patent certificate, shown here. Manufacture of the VEGA began at a Kursk Factory of Calculating Machines (Schetmash), which placed on the front panel of the calculators the emblem K3CM.

The electronic keyboard computer (EKVM) "Vega" was commercially released in 1964, and was intended for mass usage at nonproduction calculations. The computer performs four arithmetic operations: division of integers, translation of fraction, exponentiation and multiplying by a constant factor. "Vega" has 3 registers, each with 20 decimal digits, and 16 operational keys. For a data input, 12 number keys are used, the key of a comma [,] and sign of a negative number [/-/]. The comma is placed automatically: at an integer - pressing the key of the operation, at a proper fraction - pressing the key of zero. Speed of addition - 0,06 sec, multiplying and division - 0,6 sec, extract square root - about 5 sec.

How to Calculate

Vega's Keyboard

a + b - c	= a [+] b [+] c [-]
a * b / c	= a [KM] b [X] c [-:-]
a ^ 5	= a [KM] [X] [CK] [X] [CK] [X] [CK] [X]
a ^ 8	= a [KM] [X] [CK] [KM] [X] [CK] [KM] [X]
k a	= k [KM] a [X]
k b	= [CC] b [X]
k c	= [CC] c [X]
ab + cd + ef	= a [KM] b [X] c [KM] d [X] e [KM] f [X]
a / [(b + c) * d + e]	= b [+] c [+] [CK] [KM] d [X] e [+] a [KM] [CK] [MC] [-:-]
a ^ 2 + b ^ 2	= a [KM] [X] b [KM] [X]

Thanks to Sergei Frolov for this information.

Components

The basic component of the EKVM "Vega" is transistor-magnetic units. In the calculator, approximately 1500 of these are used. The information is output on the electroluminescent display, specially designed for this EKVM. Power supply of the calculator - standard: 127/220V with frequency 50 Hz. Power consumption - 30 W. An overall dimensions of the computer: 430 x 500 x 240 mm, mass - no more than 25 kg. Numbers in the EKVM "Vega" are entered from a natural comma, that is is similar to their usual writing. In the computer number can be shifted to the right (up to rightmost) or to the left (up to high digit).

Display

The VEGA was one of the very first machines to use a 7-segment electroluminescent display for showing its results. The VEGA display consisted of 8 groups of 3-digit display segments. Each segment could display three digits, or one digit and two special signs. Together, the 8 groups were ample to display the full 20 digit capability of the machine.

This image, though grainy, shows the display as it appeared in operation. The insert is from documentation, showing the layout of the segments and the decimal.

© Sergei Frolov A close-up of one of the display modules used in the VEGA. Each individual module could display three 7-segment digits. This display was also used in the EDVM[P] machine.

Pre-Production Prototypes

These amazing photographs show some of the design changes which were made to the VEGA during the course of its development. The bulky machine at the top is gradually streamlined and improved until we have the final pre-production prototype shown at the bottom. Prototype #2 is very similar to the actual production unit.

Prototype #1

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky VEGA!

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky The earliest known prototype. I want one!

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky You have to love it - look at those internals! Though probably not the very first prototype, it is obvious from the size and apparent weight of this machine that it is a very early stage in the design. The image on the right is the best close-up I could manage (given the original images) of the internal circuitry of this VEGA prototype. It looks like quite a modular design, with lots of similar cards in a rackmount cage. I wonder how the circuitry of this machine compares with circuitry of similar machines of the day from the West?

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky The early keyboard. Later prototypes reorganized the layout.

Prototype #2

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky This prototype is probably the final version selected as a basis for the final design. Note the similarity in styling and keyboard appearance to the picture at the top of this page. Although the machine below appears to be later in terms of prototype changes, its changes were not included in the final design.

Prototype #3

© Sergei Frolov / Evgeny Kanevsky Strangely, this machine appears to be more refined than the actual production machine. Note the styling changes in the keyboard switches on the right, and the more "professional" appearance! These changes obviously never made it into the final version.