Who am I?

She is the daughter of a poet even though she could not see him for the first time on a portrait photo before she was 20 years old. Her mother played her part in this as well as in her natural-scientific interest - she was one of the few women who had studied geometry and astronomy. This mathematically interested mother brought her up befitting her social status in a conventional way; however, she ensured that she got a natural-scientific education - her tutor was a former Cambridge professor and the usual private tuition included the subjects mathematics and astronomy which was highly unusual for girls.

She developed an interest for machines when she was 18 years old. She visited technical exhibitions and attended scientific lectures. In the early 1830s she met the reputed mathematician Mary Somerville. Mary Somerville encouraged her to study mathematics and technology and introduced her to the scientific circles in London. Here she heard about Charles Babbage's idea of a new calculating machine, the difference engine, for the first time in 1834.

She got married at 19. Her husband wrote for her; nevertheless her marriage was quite unhappy - as she said herself - since there was only little time left for her two passions mathematics and music besides her motherly duties. To complicate matters further, access to libraries was forbidden for women. In 1840 she started correspondence with Augustus De Morgan, the first professor for mathematics at the University of London, so that she could at least continue her studies in this way.

After she translated an Italian article about Babbage's second big calculator project, the analytical engine, in 1842 and sent the text to Babbage, the latter encouraged her to study the engine in more detail and to add her own explanations. The comments tripled the length of the original article. Together they further worked out the programming basics of the analytical engine. Ada's suggestion to calculate the Bernouil figures is today considered to be first computer program.

'The analytical engine', she said, 'weaves algorithmic patterns just like the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves.' Her mathematic brain was distinguished by her extraordinary imagination.

This cooperation found Babbage's interest but he declined any further cooperation.

Neither was it possible then to implement the theoretical findings into technology since at that time it was not possible to manufacture precision instruments such as today's EDP systems. However, her findings ensure that today's computer systems work: In 1979, more than 100 years after her death, a programming language was named after her.

Solution will be given in the next entry...

The function control in the Panther can be like this

The controller is programmed by the vehicle manufacturer because only he has the system-specific know-how. For this, a programmable controller is clearly an advantage. It would be helpful if the controller manufacturer already provides finished function blocks allowing a quick implementation of the vehicle functions.

Here are examples of the functions to be controlled: modern airfield fire-fighting vehicles have several water/foam cannons which are usually remote-controlled by joysticks. Operating modules for pumps, mixture rates, winches, flashing blue light, horn, door and alarm start controls are further components requiring electronic controllers.

For pumps these electronic modules are often used to display levels and to control electric valves. The extensive lighting system including the powerful airfield floodlights is also controlled and monitored via electronic control devices. The high performance engines (up to 1000 hp) and gearboxes have electronic control devices and are usually networked via one or several CAN bus systems.

And if you want to test this:

»»» http://www.awesomediecast.com/


Image source: Wiking

Back to the firefighters

This is how airfield fire-fighting vehicles are controlled...

And for this you need electronic controllers.


Image source: www.fire-engine-photos.com

An airfield fire-fighting vehicle such as the Panther from Rosenbauer always has to function in case of an emergency. So the high uptime of the system is the most important requirement of this type of controller.

Also, the spare parts have to be available for a long time because these vehicles are used over a long period. The quick and flexible adaptation of the software using standard programming languages is a prerogative.

Also, the controller must have a CAN vehicle bus system for networking different electronic components (also from different manufacturers). These are high demands on the performance of the controller. At the same time the controller must be small in size...

»»» http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controller_area_network

If it's to be a bit more professional

"For 15 years I had been looking for the ideal programming language for robotics. Until I found LabVIEW..."

But what is LabVIEW?

National Instruments launched LabVIEW Robotics 2009, a new version of the graphic system design software providing a standard development platform to design autonomous robot control systems.

»»» More information: www.ni.com/labview/whatis/