Bench Talk

Like human minds, computing devices require logic to process information. Programmable logic devices (PLDs) follow a specific set of instructions to control, compute, store, manage, and manipulate electronic information. Several categories of PLDs exist, providing design flexibility.

Hardware in the Loop (HITL) is the only practical way to test complex system hardware and software, and two ways of implementing it exist. Each approach has pros and cons, but in either case, developing the HITL installation can be a task as large as developing the system itself.

PID controllers are a popular method for including a feedback as a mechanism to help efficiently control industrial processes. Short for “proportional, integrative, derivative,” PID controllers keep the output of a system constant based on user provided setpoint. Tuning the PID controller parameters, though, requires a bit of math to maximize efficiency and minimize adjustments and corrections based on feedback.

Electric motors may be the prime mover we think of first, but there are many applications that are better served by pneumatic motors driven by compressed air. These motors have very high torque even at low or zero rpm, and they’re also good for high-impact, low-repetition functions like driving large hammers or even forging presses. Of course, the absence of wiring and associated high voltages and currents make them explosion safe, user safe, and practical in wet environments as well.

While the term „Internet of Things“ first turned up in 1985 (when the Internet as we know it today was not even a prospect yet), the need for an „industrial“ subset has been recognized only in the early 2000s. Today, Industrial IoT is being implemented far more rapid than a more generic IoT, and – believe it or not – the key drivers for that came out of Europe.

A new generation of driverless vehicles is dramatically changing the way automotive systems are designed and built. These driverless car systems will have significantly increased communication capability, linking vehicles together on the road and back to the cloud. All of this will be controlled by high end processors with complex 3D mapping and control algorithms, and all of this needs to be made secure.

People have misperceptions about autonomy. Autopilots have been used in aircraft for decades. In newer planes and at properly equipped airports, the autopilot can also be used for landing, usually in dense fog with lots of radar equipment on the plane and on the ground, and the landing isn’t gentle. (Pilots occasionally perform a “greased in” landing, which is when touch down is so gentle you don’t even feel it. Be sure to congratulate your pilot if this ever happens.)

How did we get here? I could use several lifetimes up just in projects. The tools available to the masses seem to be fueled by IoT. We can all engineer a little IoT, apparently.

At a recent energy conference there was a great deal of discussion on how the commercial real estate market might leverage the current infatuation with smart devices, and buzz around the Internet of Things to help propel building automation technology into widespread adoption. It would seem that the technology maturity, price points, and market desire are finally beginning to intersect. In the final analysis many experts, including technologists, energy managers, engineers, and real estate professionals seemed to converge on the notion that lighting will be the key technology that will help other control technologies, such as HVAC, to finally gain greater adoption rates.

In this blog, we'll cover simple common sense best practice things that Bob and Alice can do to improve defenses and reduce risk. By the way, these are common sense best practices for all aspects of personal computing, cell phones, web, and internet.