ator , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Harvard ▁Mark ▁I , ▁a ▁World ▁War ▁II - era ▁electro - me chan ical ▁computer <0x0A> </s> ▁James ▁W att ▁ ▁( ; ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 1 7 3 6 ▁( 1 9 ▁January ▁ 1 7 3 6 ▁OS ) ▁– ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 8 1 9 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Scottish ▁invent or , ▁mechanical ▁engineer , ▁and ▁chem ist ▁who ▁improved ▁on ▁Thomas ▁New com en ' s ▁ 1 7 1 2 ▁New com en ▁steam ▁engine ▁with ▁his ▁W att ▁steam ▁engine ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁which ▁was ▁fundamental ▁to ▁the ▁changes ▁brought ▁by ▁the ▁Indust rial ▁Revolution ▁in ▁both ▁his ▁native ▁Great ▁Britain ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁While ▁working ▁as ▁an ▁instrument ▁mak er ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Glasgow , ▁W att ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁technology ▁of ▁steam ▁engines . ▁He ▁real ised ▁that ▁contemporary ▁engine ▁designs ▁was ted ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁energy ▁by ▁repeatedly ▁cool ing ▁and ▁re he ating ▁the ▁cyl inder . ▁W att ▁introduced ▁a ▁design ▁enh ancement , ▁the ▁separate ▁cond enser , ▁which ▁avoided ▁this ▁waste ▁of ▁energy ▁and ▁rad ically ▁improved ▁the ▁power , ▁efficiency , ▁and ▁cost - effect iveness ▁of ▁steam ▁engines . ▁Event ually ▁he ▁adapted ▁his ▁engine ▁to ▁produce ▁rot ary ▁motion , ▁greatly ▁bro aden ing ▁its ▁use ▁beyond ▁p ump ing ▁water . ▁ ▁W att ▁attempted ▁to ▁commercial ise ▁his ▁in vention , ▁but