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Media centre /
Press releaseSCIENCE MEETS FINANCE AT THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW FOURTH GENERATION ERNIE17 August 2004Premium Bond growth necessitates ERNIE upgradeInterviews can be arranged by calling the NS&I media team National Savings and Investments (NS&I) today launched ERNIE 4 (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) at the Science Museum, London, bringing all four generations of ERNIE together for the first time. The fourth generation random number generator is responsible for selecting prize winning Premium Bonds each month. The next draw in September will see ERNIE 4 give away 1 million prizes - more than ever before - hence the need for a more powerful ERNIE. In the last 10 years, Premium Bonds have gone from strength to strength. Currently, 25 billion Premium Bonds are owned by 23 million people nationwide. The launch of ERNIE 4 saw all four generations of ERNIE brought together side by side, including ERNIE 1, built in 1956 by the team behind the World War 2 code-breaker Colossus. The exhibition at the Science Museum shows how NS&I, the British institution behind Premium Bonds, has supported the development of smaller and faster technology over the last 50 years. The launch event was hosted by science and mathematics personality, Johnny Ball, and attended by the engineers who designed and built ERNIE 1 almost 50 years ago, as well as those responsible for developing ERNIE 4, from LogicaCMG. ERNIE: Vital statistics
Over the years, the notoriously difficult process of generating random numbers has changed significantly, while each of the ERNIEs has got progressively smaller and faster as technology has advanced. ERNIE 1 was 24 sq ft and used gas to generate the numbers, whereas ERNIE 4 uses thermal noise generated by a chip and measuring 0.01 sq ft, requires considerably less space. Other Premium Bond highlights:
John Prout, sales director at National Savings and Investments said, "ERNIE 4 is the power behind Premium Bonds - able to generate more numbers, more quickly than ever before. "In September, ERNIE will be picking prize winning Bonds from a record 25 billion Bonds held and giving away £56 million to over one million lucky winners nationwide." Ends Notes to editors*UK population taken as 59.2 million, Office for National Statistics, 2004 NS&I was founded in 1861 to enable the British public to save in a straightforward, accessible and secure way. Today, it has grown into one of the largest savings organisations in the UK holding savings and investments of over £66 billion for 30 million UK savers. It is a vibrant organisation, which aims to be the first port of call for UK savers by offering a range of products including many offering tax free returns, suitable to all. To arrange an interview, or to request digital images or broadcast footage, call the NS&I media team.
Media team The numbers below are for media use only. Customers wishing to contact NS&I can find details here.
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