# Programming patterns: the story of the Jacquard loom **Author:** Science and Industry Museum **Published:** 25 June 2019 **Length:** 2 mins (513 words) ## In Summary The Jacquard loom demonstrates an early connection between textile production and computer programming. Patented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1804, the mechanism used sequences of punched cards to control the weaving of complex patterns, significantly reducing production time and costs. Building on earlier inventions, it enabled patterned textiles to become more widely affordable while transforming traditional weaving skills and labour. Its programmable mechanism subsequently influenced early computing, including the work of Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace. **Source:** [https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/jacquard-loom](https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/jacquard-loom) ## What might this mean for us? The Jacquard loom offers Higher Education a historical perspective on automation, technological disruption and changing disciplinary expertise. For creative education, how might understanding the relationship between craft and computation help students critically engage with emerging technologies? Could exploring historical innovations reveal how technologies reshape skills, authorship and labour, rather than simply replacing established practices? ## Links in this reading - [Joseph-Marie Jacquard, Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Marie-Jacquard) - [Jacques de Vaucanson, Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-de-Vaucanson) - [Weaving numbers, Science and Industry Museum](https://blog.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/weaving-numbers-jacquard-loom-early-computing/) - [Ada Lovelace: Visionary of the computer age, Science Museum](https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ada-lovelace-visionary-of-the-computer-age/) - [How was it made? Jacquard weaving, V&A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6NgMNvK52A) - [Lovelace, Turing and the invention of computers, Science Museum](https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/lovelace-turing-and-invention-computers) - [Thinking machines: Stories from the history of computing, Science Museum](https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/thinking-machines-stories-history-computing)