In Control

If challenged I will vehemently deny being a Greenie (of the big-G variety, at least), but maybe, just maybe I am becoming a small-g greenie. I am not about to join any band of duffel coat clad tree-huggers (do they still wear duffel coats?). However, I must admit I am seriously concerned about big picture environmental issues like global warming and the tightening water crisis here in Australia. In particular it concerns me that so many powerful people still deny the dangers of excessive CO₂ emissions from vehicles and coal fired power stations.

I am also worried that so much of the debate, so many of the arguments, are based on what amounts to little more than superstition, hearsay and cynical manipulation of public opinion based on political/economic expediency (so what's new?). Take the case of an Australian Government minister attempting to disallow a windfarm because of the risk to an endangered species, the orange bellied parrot. It turned out to be a load of baloney, and the minister eventually had to back down. The real reason for his decision was that this was a marginal electorate etc., etc ... (you know how it works!). Of course, when he was found out he resigned in disgrace (Sorry, bad joke. Government ministers don't resign over major blunders any more, do they?).

The result of all this is that the truth is drowned out by the noise of cynicism and ignorance. Things get done that should not be done and things fail to be done that desperately need to be done. In the long run our planet, our children and our grand children will suffer the consequences.

Yesterday I had an email from my friend Maurice Nygaard at BSI Proteomics in Maryland. Maurice tells me that there is a good chance we will get a ride in a Space Shuttle this (northern) summer. Not us, as in us guys, but "our" equipment.

BSI Proteomics are in the business of "rational drug discovery". They are experts on growing near-perfect crystals of important proteins and then analyzing them in a synchrotron to determine their exact crystal structure. Apparently, if you know the structure of a nasty protein you can then design a friendly molecule that will knock it off. The more perfect your subject crystal the better your results.

I just received an email from a US technical magazine publisher asking me to buy some advertising space (this is a magazine we advertised in during 2004/05). Here's my reply:

Hi Kelli,

Frankly, we spent $xxK on print advertising in 2005, with no measurable return. We are now using Google AdWords at a simlar spend rate with much better results.

Sad for the print media (my father was a newspaper photographer so I have a touch of printer's ink in my veins), but that's what's happening.

Google replaces Gutenberg! (Could be a story in there!)

Significant indicator: I used Google to check the spelling of Guthenberg (sic).

Well, the festive season is upon us, and we are also celebrating the release of our latest SPLat controller, the CC16. As usual I am running a spot the SPLanta contest (it's become a bit of a tradition).

I have hidden a number of SPLantas on our website. For a chance to win a CC16DK all you have to do is find them all and send me a list of where they are located. Do not include the one to the left or the ones in the SPLat Knowledge Base.

Let me give you a couple of hints:

• There are 6 or more SPLantas
  
• Some are rather cunningly hidden, but they are there
  
• Be sure you don't count the same SPLanta twice.
  
• splatco.com and splatco.com.au are not counted as separate places.
  

Happy hunting. And Season's Greetings!

We have just released a new controller that is aimed at very cost sensitive applications.

The CC16 is so named because it is the size of a credit card and has 16 I/O points. Each I/O can be used an an input or as an output. The 1-off price at introduction is $65 for the OEM version. Interesting features include:

• 400mA outputs, just like our other, dearer, controllers
• Protected, NPN compatible inputs
• New processor, over twice as fast as other current products
• Full multitasking
• 25K program space, equivalent to over 200K in a C-programmed controller
• Capable of working with our regular expansion boards
• ModBus

So how do we do it?

Well, there are naturally some compromises. Mainly, the board can't accept SPice add-on boards. That means no option to add analog. It has no RS232, so you need a special programming cable (the same one we use with the MS12). There is no timing crystal, so timing accuracy is around 2%.

Connections are via the now-familiar friction lock connectors, using 0.1in pitch. Early in 2007 we will be releasing a plug-on terminal block adapter, which will convert the power and I/O connections to screw terminals. There will also be a larger "developer's breakout board" with screw terminals, indicator LEDs and DIP switches for activating inputs. That alone will make this my second favorite board for trying out programming ideas (my favorite is still the TR601 trainer, because it has lots of onboard widgets for playing with.)

Are you aware that SPLat, like any decent programming language, lets you use meaningful names for inputs, outputs, RAM variables etc? Which of the following fragments say the most to you:

      WaitOn    5

      Off       3

      WaitOn    FullSensor

      Off       FillValve

1. Rewiring 250 boxes

2. Changing

      WaitOn    5

to

      WaitOn    4

in 75 places in a 3000 line program.

3. Changing

      FullSensor   iEQU    5

to

      FullSensor   iEQU    4

in one place?

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I have been in the (electronic, controls, microprocessor) game for thir... erh..., a rather long time. Sometimes I have to remind myself that some of the things that I have developed hardwired circuitry for in my brain, are still new and perhaps confusing concepts for many people.

One of these concepts is multitasking. In SPLat we call our particular implementation MultiTrack.

The MultiTrack idea is very simple, but extremely powerful: It allows you to have the SPLat processor do two or more things at the same time. Try this: Stand up. Start rubbing your tummy with a circular motion. Now start tapping your head with the other hand. Do the two things at different speeds. Now reverse the rotation of the tummy rub without missing a head beat. That's multitasking!

Well, it's nearly Christmas. This is the holiday season for us in Australia. Summer is around the corner. The state of Victoria is in the grip of extensive bush fires, and Melbourne has been blanketed in smoke today.

This afternoon we had our Christmas breakup with a barbecue and an outing to play a game of lawn bowls. This was a new experience for us all, and a good way to wind down after a hectic year.

Our office will technically be shut until January 8, though we will process one or two batches of orders during that time. Please be patient, and allow a few extra days. Our Boston warehouse will be shut December 20 to January 22, so shipments will be made from Melbourne.

Support requests will still be answered, but please allow a little more time than usual.