Editing Leonardo Torres Quevedo (section)

===Formal language===

In 1907, Torres introduced a [[formal language]] for the description of mechanical drawings, and thus for mechanical devices, in [[Vienna]]. He previously published "Sobre un sistema de notaciones y símbolos destinados a facilitar la descripción de las máquinas"  ("System of notations and symbols intended to facilitate the description of the machines") in the ''Revista de Obras Públicas''.<ref>Torres Quevedo, Leonardo. [https://quickclick.es/rop/pdf/publico/1907/1907_tomoI_1634_01.pdf Sobre un sistema de notaciones y símbolos destinados a facilitar la descripción de las máquinas, (pdf)], pp. 25–30, Revista de Obras Públicas, 17 January 1907.</ref> According to the Austrian computer scientist [[Heinz Zemanek]], this was equivalent to a [[programming language]] for the numerical control of machine tools.<ref name=Bruderer.>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gh8SEAAAQBAJ&dq=leonardo+torres+quevedo+heinz+zemanek+formal+language&pg=PA1212|title=Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing|last=Bruderer|first=Herbert|date=2021|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3030409739|page=1212|chapter=The Global Evolution of Computer Technology|language=en}}</ref> He defined a table of symbols, a collection of rules and, as usual in his works, applied them to an example. This symbolic language reveals Torres' main capacities, both his ability to detect a problem, in this case a social problem of origin and its technical consequences, as well as his capacity for creation – invention – to give a rational, properly technical response. In the words of Torres: "[[Charles Babbage]] and [[Franz Reuleaux]] – and I suppose others as well, although I don't have news of them – have tried, without any success, to put remedy to this inconvenience; but although these eminent authors have failed, should not be a sufficient reason to abandon such an important effort". Babbage, Reuleaux and Torres failed. The world of machines continues without any other symbolic language than [[descriptive geometry]].<ref>González Redondo, Francisco A. [https://gaceta.rsme.es/abrir.php?id=469.pdf ''Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1852–1936). 2ª Parte. Automática. Máquinas analíticas''.] pp. 287–289, La Gaceta de la RSME, Vol. 8.1, 2005.</ref>