Olympia ICR 412 electronic calculator

UvA Computer Museum catalogue nr 93.17

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This rugged electronic calculator of German (BRD, 1972) design features a capacity of 24 decimal figures in all its registers. The Nixie tube display can be switched between the upper and lower 12 figures. The electronics uses 14 pin dual-in-line modules throughout. The memory module is based upon an acoustic delay line.

The machine shown was introduced in the undergraduate physics labs of the University of Amsterdam in 1972, as a replacement for the slide rule. This made it possible (and necessary) to redesign many of the experiments and to design new ones, due to the much higher accuracy which could be used in the analysis of measurement results.
A drawback however was that students at home still had to rely on the slide rule, because inexpensive pocket calculators were not available until the late 70's. Even in the lab, there were only five Olympia calculators available for 60 students.....

The machine shown is completely functional. The plastic case is slightly discolored, partly by the effect of softening agent sweating from the original protecting sleeve.