A super hero from the past is being honoured at a prestigious London exhibition.

Charles Babbage, who lived for a while in Teignmouth and was married in the town, is widely considered as the first computer programmer, thanks to his invention and design of the vast calculating engines, including the analytical engine in 1834.

Now he is in the company of physicist Albert Einstein, Apple founder Steve Jobs, and flight pioneers, the Wright brothers, who are all included in the exhibition by the Institution of Engineering and Technology at its newly opened HQ in Savoy Place.

The display of ‘126 most influential engineers’ honours a range of engineers, past and present, from around the world.

It celebrates the achievements of those who have dramatically improved the quality of our lives over the years with innovative ideas and problem solving capabilities.

All of those featured in the showcase are considered as having an impact on human kind and as reflecting the development of engineering over the 144 year history of the IET.

The life of Babbage was the subject of a recent detailed biography by Lucy Simister, who used to live in Teignmouth and now resides in South Brent.

The London showcase is part of the reopening of Savoy Place following a £30 million refurbishment of the building.

Simon Timmis, senior marketing manager for IET Venues and Events commented: ‘The development of these exhibits is hugely exciting for all involved. It represents and celebrates the best in engineering accomplishments and reminds us of the huge positive impact that technological invention can have.’

The IET is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions with over 163,000 members in 127 countries. It is also the most interdisciplinary – to reflect the increasingly diverse nature of engineering in the 21st century.

Energy, transport, manufacturing, information and communications, and the built environment: the IET covers them all.