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The source scanner consists of a kind of turntable which can also be shifted in one direction. Turning and shifting is done by stepping motors which can be controlled in such a way, that each point of the radioactive foils on the turntable can be brought under a radiation detector in a simple and reproduceable manner. At prescribed points on the foils the radiation spectra can be measured for a certain time by means of a multichannel analyser.

The whole measurement procedure runs automatically and is controlled by a TRS-80 microcomputers, which not only directs the turntable, but also stores the measured spectra on disk and does the bookkeeping of the measurement results as well as the mathematical treatment. For convenience of the users the programmes can be written in BASIC which has been extended by special statements.

Measurement systems (MS) are combinations of realtime control systems and systens for data transmission. Their features relevant to the progress of the microelectronics are defined and explained. Typical configurations following the existing standards are analysed, especially their specific advantages and deficiences. Industrial “de-facto” standards are included as well as some recent developments. A survey is given about proposed future systems and possible improvements, compared with technological possibilities and anticipated demands of distributed control, as exchange of slow software procedures by hardware-features, distribution of all status information throughout the system, facilities for surveying all operations, testings, partial switching off and on for graceful degradation, communication between simultaneously running tasks. The advantages of distributed control (increased efficiency, functional security, etc.) are utilized only if the transmission path of the MS is occupied for single operations only and controllers of different tasks can access it alternatingly. Possible improvements are: Command source identification, broadcast operations for requests and status, geometric addressing, operation made signals for static switching of device interfaces or mailbox inputs to controllers.

This paper presents an 8-bit microprocessor based measurement equipment allowing acquisition, pre-elaboration and recording of numerical data collected near a motorway bridge for traffic investigation. The realisation of such a device was necessary to carry out the research proposed by the ECSC (European Cool and Steel Community) for a standardization. This research, developed parallel in the countries of the ECSC, has been committed to the Istituto di Scienza delle Costruzioni of the University of Pisa (Italy). For this research, we have executed the following operations: 1. The identification of vehicles heavier than some fixed weight (motor lorries); 2. The measurement of velocity and time interval (distance) between two successive vehicles.

In a numerical control system, two groups of its functions are carried out simultaneously, one requiring high speed processing, such as interpolation and serve control of the relatively low speed processing, such as read-in of command data and sequential control of the machine interface. NEC's numerical controller M Series NEDAC^∗ realizes high performance and plenty of functions in a simple hardware construction. Its basic architecture is that high speed functions are carried by the direct execution of a microprogram whereas low speed functions are realized by a macroprogram. This paper introduces microprogramming technique in M Series NEDAC.

The introduction of programmable LSI components in instrumentation devices and systems creates both new problems and new performances concerning reliability and behaviour in presence of faults. Problems derive basically from the difficulty of evaluating reliability characteristics, both at component and at system level; conventional methods for testing and for reliability assessment do not appear adequate any more. On the other hand, the presence of a component with data processing capabilities and the consequent availability of distributed intelligence at acceptably low cost allow to introduce diagnosis and error confinement performances, even when no higher fault-tolerance capacities are considered. While proper “reconfiguration” techniques cannot, in general, be considered in a realistic way for the systems being examined, state identification is important both for subsequent maintenance and for fail-safe behaviour.

The paper describes principle of operation, hardware and software of microcomputer system for direct digital control of Diffusion Furnace. The analog-to-digital converter of Multi-Channel Temperature Controller converts signals of 9 analog sensors of temperature and voltage of power line. Data processing includes examination of measurement results credibility, adaptive filtration and calculation of power signals for control of temperature of work zone of Diffusion Furnace. The furnace can be in one of 11 states. Control algorithms are selected according to actual and destinated states of the furnace.

Using microprocessors in equipment can be very effective in the field of medical instruments. On one hand it derives from the sophisticated processing algorithms of biological signals, on the other hand the instrument must have a fairly, simple, easy-to-use — i.e. intelligent — operator interface as well as a highly automated structure that the non-technical experts be able to work with it efficiently. The paper presents the developing method and the experiences gained while constructing a pulmonary diagnosing instrument. The increased efficiency and flexibility reached by using a microprocessor will be pointed out.