90 ◾ Computing
Joseph Marie Jacquard (1752–1834) was born in the famous textile city
of Lyon, France. Even as a child Jacquard worked as a pull-boy on the draw
looms used to produce the beautiful brocade silks worn by aristocrats and
the wealthy. His father was a master weaver, and when he died in 1772,
Joseph inherited his workshop and looms. By 1778, Joseph Jacquard had
himself become a master weaver and silk merchant [11].
As a result of the Industrial Revolution, in the late 18th century there
was a great expansion in automated industrial processes in important
industries such as in textile manufacturing. Before the development
of mechanical looms and weaving machines, fabric had to be tediously
woven by hand. e invention of power ...