The Coming of Multiple-Access Computers

1967 ◽  
Vol 71 (676) ◽  
pp. 235-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Wilkes
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Multiple Access ◽  
Batch Processing ◽  
Central Processor ◽  
Storage Space ◽  
Typical Problem ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Processing Techniques ◽  
Digital Computers

When digital computers first became available many of us expected that they would have an early and significant impact on engineering design. This did not happen, and the reasons why it did not are worth examining. For one thing, the early computers were not nearly large enough; engineers do not build things out of spheres and parallelograms as mathematicians do, and quite a lot of storage space is needed to describe a typical problem in engineering design. Unfortunately, the big computers when they came were so expensive that it was not considered economic to allow users to handle them personally, and batch-processing techniques were introduced. The result was to create a barrier between the computer and the design engineer, and to make it impossible for him to get results of any kind without a delay amounting to a few hours at the very best, and often to much more. Emphasis in fact, was put on the efficiency with which the central processor of the computer was used and no regard at all was paid to the efficiency with which the users—in this case programmers and design engineers—worked. We are on the threshold of a development which, there is every reason to hope, will change the situation radically.

The Effects of Background upon Engineering Design Expertise – A Sino Occidental Comparison

2012 ◽  
Vol 215-216 ◽  
pp. 452-467
Author(s):  
Amanda Newing ◽  
Sarah van der Waal ◽  
Clint Steele
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Objective Knowledge ◽  
Individual Change ◽  
Systemic Thinking ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Design Expertise ◽  
Design Firms

To date the majority of research into engineering design expertise has been done within an occidental context. With an increase in multinational design firms engineers are now more likely to work with engineers of different backgrounds. The authors’ experience in countries other than their own suggested that background can affect design engineers’ thinking and working, and the nature of expertise. This prompted a study (via interviews) into design teams with mixed (by nationality) members. This investigation into occidental and Sino backgrounds and engineering design expertise showed that a Sino background encouraged low risk reliable designs and detailed thinking while an occidental background promoted unique ideas, systemic thinking and the use of objective knowledge. However, individual change and improvement is possible.

Understanding the Utilization of Information Stimuli in Design Decision Making Using Eye Gaze Data

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youyi Bi ◽  
Murtuza Shergadwala ◽  
Tahira Reid ◽  
Jitesh H. Panchal
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Cognitive Decision ◽  
Improved Design ◽  
Student Subjects ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Normative Models

Research on decision making in engineering design has focused primarily on how to make decisions using normative models given certain information. However, there exists a research gap on how diverse information stimuli are combined by designers in decision making. In this paper, we address the following question: how do designers weigh different information stimuli to make decisions in engineering design contexts? The answer to this question can provide insights on diverse cognitive models for decision making used by different individuals. We investigate the information gathering behavior of individuals using eye gaze data from a simulated engineering design task. The task involves optimizing an unknown function using an interface which provides two types of information stimuli, including a graph and a list area. These correspond to the graphical stimulus and numerical stimulus, respectively. The study was carried out using a set of student subjects. The results suggest that individuals weigh different forms of information stimuli differently. It is observed that graphical information stimulus assists the participants in optimizing the function with a higher accuracy. This study contributes to our understanding of how diverse information stimuli are utilized by design engineers to make decisions. The improved understanding of cognitive decision making models would also aid in improved design of decision support tools.

II.—Modern Display Techniques

1974 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-341
Author(s):  
D. E. Humphries
Keyword(s):  
Full Advantage ◽  
Computer Interface ◽  
Central Processor ◽  
Military Aircraft ◽  
Decision Point ◽  
Main Computer ◽  
Day Of The Week ◽  
Fault Diagnostic ◽  
Digital Computers

Modern digital computers are well known to be extremely fast and accurate, but another attribute which is even more vital in the role of nerve centre to a modern nav./attack system is flexibility. The ground-based computer that carries out a different task every day of the week is now normal, but even in a military aircraft the computer is called upon to fulfil several roles: on the ground analysis and diagnosis, in the air navigation and weapons delivery, and often as flight director computer if the situation demands. Because of its characteristics of carrying out the computations serially in a central processor, a single decision point can alter the whole characteristics of the program; a single switch could make the computer carry out a fault diagnostic program or the navigation/attack program. By the action of one switch the meaning of every other switch and display can be altered. It is this characteristic above all that calls for special displays if full advantage is to be taken of the flexibility in the main computer interface.

scholarly journals DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK TO EVALUATE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING IN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEMS – PART 1: TEACHING THROUGH SIMULACRA OF REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nishant Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Real World ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Engineering Design Problems ◽  
University Of Manitoba ◽  
The University ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Real World Problems

In the context of teaching design, engineers often have a strong preference for problem-based learning because the skills they are trying to teach are intrinsic to the solving of design problems. The proliferation of problem-based learning (PBL) in capstone and now cornerstone engineering design courses is well supported by industry and faculty and the trend has been towards seeing more PBL in engineering design courses. This paper explores the basic selection of engineering design problems and presents a fairly simple dilemma: the skills that are required to solve a problem are not necessarily the skills that are taught by the problem if the problem is truly open-ended. This paper presents the idea of using engineering problems that are carefully constructed simulacra of real-world problems with built in scaffolding to create PBL experiences for students that are educationally complete and meaningful. This paper presents examples from two courses developed at the University of Manitoba based on this approach, outcomes of and responses to the course layout, and ideas for how this model can be extended to other courses or programs.

scholarly journals Forensic Engineering Analysis Of A (Fatal) Accident Involving A Motor Home

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olof H. Jacobson ◽  
Barbera Guy J.
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Personal Protection ◽  
Engineering Analysis ◽  
Mechanical Device ◽  
Pinch Point ◽  
Personal Protection Equipment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Forensic Engineering ◽  
Level 2

An Accident Involving A Motor Home With A Slide Out Room Was Investigated By The Authors. A Two Year Old Child Was Caught In A Pinch Point As The Slide Out Room Was Being Retracted. The Child Was Fatally Injured. The Design Of The Motor Home And The Actions Of The Parties Involved Were Analyzed. The Engineering Analysis Considered Mechanical Engineering Design Regarding Pinch Points, According To The Hierarchy Of Proper Engineering Design. Specifically, When A Hazard Is Identified In The Design Of A Mechanical Device Which Is Available To The Public, The Design Engineers Options Are 1) Modify The Design To Eliminate The Hazard Or Reduce The Danger To An Acceptable Level, 2) Design Guards To Isolate The Hazard, 3) Provide Effective Warnings, 4) Educate And Train Users To Be Aware Of The Hazard And Follow Safe Procedures To Avoid Injury, And 5) Provide Personal Protection Equipment To Be Used In Conjunction With The Product. In Iowa, Where The Case Was Filed, The Courts Require A Reasonable Alternative Design Be Identified Using Technology Available At The Time Of Manufacture Which Would Have Made The Product Safe.

Data Management in Internet of Things

2017 ◽  
pp. 80-97
Author(s):  
Ashok V. Sutagundar ◽  
Daneshwari Hatti
Keyword(s):  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Data Management ◽  
Communication Overhead ◽  
Storage Space ◽  
Data Archiving ◽  
Heterogeneous Devices ◽  
Compression Data ◽  
Processing Techniques ◽  
And Control

This chapter gives overview of Internet of Things (IoT), various issues in IoT and describes data management in IoT. IoT is emerging technology which interconnects things through the Internet. Things present in the surrounding are communicated and control the objects without human intervention. IoT helps in performing two way communications among various heterogeneous devices by using cloud storage and cloud computing. IoT mainly concentrates on communication, so the vast amount of data generated from plenty of devices is to be managed as it consumes lot of memory. Data management includes data processing techniques such as data filtering, aggregation, compression, data archiving. Various processing techniques eliminate the irrelevant data, reduce communication overhead and enhance bandwidth, storage space and Quality of service.

scholarly journals Experimental Evaluation of a Debiasing Method for Analysis in Engineering Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 489-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Nelius ◽  
Sven Matthiesen
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Experimental Evaluation ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Technical Problem ◽  
Confirmation Bias ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Decision Matrix ◽  
Design Engineers

AbstractDuring analysis in engineering design, systematic thinking errors - so-called cognitive biases - can lead to inaccurate understanding of the design problem. With a simplified version of the Analysis of Competing Hypotheses - ACH method and a simplified decision matrix, the confirmation bias in particular can be minimized. To evaluate this method, it was taught to experienced design engineers and mechanical engineering students. During the experimental evaluation the participants analysed a real technical problem. The procedures and results were compared with a previously conducted study with the same task. The design engineers have not changed their approaches and could not further improve their analysis success. The students profited considerably from the training. They have mentioned twice as much supporting evidence and six times as much contradicting evidence through the training indicating a more extensive analysis. As a result, the students showed significantly fewer signs of confirmation bias than without training. The findings suggest that debiasing strategies should be introduced early in engineering design education.

scholarly journals IDENTIFYING REASONS FOR A LACK OF METHOD APPLICATION IN ENGINEERING DESIGN PRACTICE – AN INTERVIEW STUDY

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 2495-2504
Author(s):  
M. Eisenmann ◽  
S. Matthiesen
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Interview Study ◽  
Design Methods ◽  
Design Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Design Engineers

AbstractDesign methods are seldom used in engineering design practice. The presented study aims at finding the alternative strategies for situations with a need for methodological support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten experienced design engineers to identify causes of and strategies for those situations. Three strategy clusters could be identified: generating information, experience and method application. As the individual's and the team's experience compete with the application of methods, they are seen as reasons for a lack of method application.

The Optimal Design of Hunting Weapons: Maintainability or Reliability

1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 737-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bleed
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Design ◽  
Material Culture ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
System Reliability ◽  
Technical System ◽  
Environmental Constraints ◽  
Design Engineers ◽  
Hunting Strategies ◽  
Design Alternatives ◽  
Technical Systems

Design engineers share archaeologists' interest in material culture, but unlike archaeologists, engineers have developed concepts for determining the suitability of technical systems to perform specific tasks. Given the difficulty archaeologists face in developing theories of material culture, I suggest that guiding principles of engineering design offer potentially useful insights.In this article I discuss two design alternatives for optimizing the availability of any technical system - reliability and maintainability. Reliable systems are made so that they can be counted on to work when needed. Maintainable ones can easily be made to function if they are broken or not appropriate to the task at hand. Because these design alternatives have markedly different optimal applications and observably different physical characteristics, archaeologists can link the design of prehistoric weapons to environmental constraints and to specific hunting strategies. Ethnographic examples indicate that primitive hunters do use both reliable and maintainable systems in optimal situations.

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