Computing and Control Engineering

Computing and Control Engineering

Online ISSN 1741-0460
Print ISSN 0956-3385

Published from 2003-2007, Computing and Control Engineering was concerned with computing, communications, control and instrumentation. It provided a forum in which practising professionals could keep abreast of technical developments in a wide range of disciplines in their field, and a forum for exchanging experiences, anecdotes, success and failure stories and best practices in the conduct of their professional lives.

This journal was previously known as Computing & Control Engineering Journal 1990-2002. ISSN 0956-3385. more..

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Exploring the dark side
- Author(s): J. Cherwinka
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- p. 10 –15 (6)
  A novel astronomical messenger called a neutrino to probe the universe, THE ICECUBE Neutrino Detector is a neutrino telescope currently under construction at the South Pole. The IceCube telescope is a powerful tool to search for dark matter, and could reveal the new physical processes associated with the enigmatic origin of the highest energy particles in nature. Neutrinos are produced by the decay of radioactive elements and elementary particles such as pions. Unlike photons or charged particles, neutrinos can emerge from deep inside their sources and travel across the universe without interference. For every muon from a cosmic neutrino, IceCube detects a million more muons produced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere above the detector. IceCube looks through the earth and to the northern skies, using the planet as a filter to select neutrinos. Since the 1950s scientists have built a compelling scientific case for doing astronomy and particle physics using high-energy neutrinos. The challenge has been one of technology to build the kilometre-sized observatory needed to do the science. Theorists anticipate that an instrument of this size is required to study neutrinos from distant astrophysical sources.
Tackling feedback design complexity
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- p. 16 –21 (6)
  Feedback control dealt with the application of cheap commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware to control problems. What does not come cheap, however, is the design, in terms of software and people skills. Engineering design was mostly based on hand calculations 30 years ago, and scientific calculators from the likes of Hewlett Packard and Texas Instruments were all the rage with designers. The feedback loop was expressed as an equation G = A/(1-AB), which still forms the basis of most simulation and design software today, where G is the gain of the system, with A representing the feed-forward element, typically an amplifier, and B representing the feedback element. The minus sign indicates negative feedback. The input to the equation is typically by means of a matrix, which is the foundation of several of today's leading software packages, including, amongst others, Math Works Matlab (matrix laboratory) and Simulink, and National Instruments (NI) MatrixX and Lab View. Both companies are working relentlessly to complete the design cycle from design and simulation through to testing and commissioning in hardware, and even in silicon. The Math Works has recently launched Embedded Matlab, which allows users to generate embeddable C code directly from Matlab programs, avoiding the common, time-consuming and error-prone process of rewriting Matlab algorithms in C. Embedded Matlab supports many high-level Matlab language features, such as multidimensional arrays, real and complex numbers, structures, flow control and subscripting. The conversion to C code is performed by Real-Time Workshop 7. If Simulink is used, synthesisable Verilog and VHDL can also be generated.
News
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- p. 2 (1)
  (2 pages)
Building an integrated 3D picture
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- p. 22 –27 (6)
  UVs offer many advantages over inhabited vehicles. They can be dispatched into high-risk areas and remain there for longer periods. As the complexity and number of UVs and onboard sensors increase, the effective management of data becomes a significant issue. However, through careful tasking and intelligent algorithms the volume of information relayed to operators and analysts can be controlled. The often conflicting requirements of sensors carried by UAVs, and micro-UAVs in particular, compromises performance against physical properties.
Robot rush hour
- Author(s): I. Miller
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- p. 28 –31 (4)
  Describing DARPA's latest contest, the so-called urban challenge, is simple: drive a full-size car 60 miles in traffic, obey the rules of the road, complete mock urban supply missions and win big bucks from the US government. Robots faced several challenges while completing their missions, including overtaking other cars.

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Computing and Control Engineering

Volumes & issues:

Volume 18 (2007)

Volume 17 (2006)

Volume 16 (2005)

Volume 15 (2004)

Volume 14 (2003)

Latest content

Exploring the dark side

Tackling feedback design complexity

News

Building an integrated 3D picture

Robot rush hour

Most viewed content for this Magazine

Most cited content for this Journal