Simple Circuit Controls High Power Resistive Load via PWM

A simple layout consisting of a specially biased FET allows tens to hundreds of watts to be controlled via simple TTL level PWM. Because of the mechanical and electrical design, the byproduct heating of FET switching is harnessed to linearize the overall response and intrinsic FET heating kept away from other sensitive circuitry. Additionally, because of the
integrated mechanical and electrical design, power is switched at the heating point and thus avoids excessive line losses and heavy return currents to the PWM controller.

Regeneration Time, Memory, and Entropy in Speech Reconstruction

State based speech reconstruction is a relatively new application for Markov models such the HMM and HSMM (Hidden Semi – Markov Model). Generalized HSMMs (GHSMMs) contain
additional memory that creates a non – stationary, time varying topology. This topology implements longer regeneration times (times at which a Markov chain becomes independent of its extended past) that increase reconstruction accuracy. The statistics of these longer regeneration times provides some very interesting insights into the roles of regeneration time, memory, and entropy in speech reconstruction using Markov models.

Athletic Airplanes Always Win - A Simple Mathematical Analysis of the Boyd OODA Loop

John Boyd, the author of the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop, is an incredibly important (but unfortunately less that well known) figure in the success of American technology and military in the last 30 years. Boyd is credited with creating the optimization criteria that enabled the Air Force to literally change course and create aircraft, such as
the F-15, F-16, A-10, and F-22 that rely on the ability to store and convert maneuver energy for aerial supremacy. It is a fascinatingly simple and effective idea - the fastest don't win, the highest flying don't win, the largest don't win, and even the most technologically advanced don't win. The aircraft most able to continually convert energy (altitude, airspeed, thrust) into maneuver wins - the most athletic craft.

A simple but effective analysis illustrates the Boyd OODA loop in terms of closed loop response and shows how such athleticism, in aircraft, systems, and organizations, is the key to success.

VICTORR - A Mobile, Voice Controlled Robot (Slide Show)

A robotics project illustrates many of the same issues facing mobile terrestrial robotics decades later - compute power and throughput, sensor integration and throughput, energy density and storage, energy rates required for interaction with the real world and maneuver, noise and spurious signals in the environment, and the architectures required for successful avoidance and self preservation behaviors. This slide show (of the same vintage) shows the VICTORR robot project and gives ideas for the future.