Final answer:
The claim about distributed data processing is false; it actually refers to processing data across a network of interconnected computers, not by a singular powerful mainframe. Supercomputers, such as those at NASA's Ames Research Center, enable the processing of large data sets efficiently.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Distributed data processing involves large databases being centrally processed by powerful mainframe computers is False. Distributed data processing refers to a method where data is processed by multiple computers, often known as nodes, that are connected via a network. Instead of relying on a single powerful mainframe computer, distributed computing utilizes a network of smaller computers to process data in tandem, which can enhance performance and provide fault tolerance.
The device that made it possible for digital computers to efficiently process large amounts of information includes supercomputers, among others. Supercomputers like those at NASA's Ames Research Center, exemplified by the Pleiades supercomputer, have allowed for the management and calculation of vast amounts of data, such as tracking the motions of over a million objects. Earlier devices, such as the FOSDIC created for the U.S. Census Bureau, allowed the transfer of data from paper to microfilm for rapid processing by computers in the 1950s.