UNIVAC, short for Universal Automatic Computer, was one of the first commercially available computers. Developed in the early 1950s by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, it was designed to process large amounts of data quickly. The first model, UNIVAC I, was delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951 and marked a significant milestone in computing history. UNIVAC was notable for its use of magnetic tape for data storage, which allowed for efficient data retrieval and processing. Its success paved the way for future computer developments and established Eckert and Mauchly as pioneers in the field of computer science.