Computer control

Computer control is the use of a computer/microprocessor to monitor

and control a non-computer process/device.
In many devices/processes to be controlled, a quantity is measured
to enable its control. Often you want the quantity (e.g. temperature)
to stay constant at some fixed value. Consider what you need to do
to control a quantity e.g. temperature (it could be any physical
quantity).
1. You need to know what the temperature is. Thus, the first thing
you have to do is to measure the temperature.
2. You have to compare the measured temperature with the desired
temperature(set/reference point). Is it too high? Is it too
low? How much higher (lower) is it compared to what you want?
3. You should take control action. There are numerous ways you
can control the temperature: you can turn a controller ON or OFF,
you can reduce the fuel producing the temperature.
 Parts of Control System
 Input sensors connected to the computer are used to
monitor conditions in the process being controlled. Data
from the sensors are sent to the computer
 A control program tells the computer what to do after
the data received is analysed and sends signals to output
devices.
 The computer (microprocessor) makes decision about
whether an output signal is needed to switch on or off
some part of the process’s system. This is usually done
through an actuator
 ADC and DAC are usually involved to convert signals
between the sensors and the processor.
 This procedure goes on continuously
 General computer control set up

CONTROLLED analog
ACTUATOR PROCESS data
ENVIROMENT from
sensors

DAC ADC

COMPUTER
With control
program
Control signals
 Control
 A computer control system is like many other systems and
is made up of three parts:
Range of control systems
Centralized control systems use a computer/processor
/microchip to control the movement of an object. Control
systems exist in all areas of life such as:
 Automatic doors
 heating systems These systems should
 taxi meters be examined in terms of
input, processing and
 Elevators output
 washing machines
 process control
 Device drivers
 Domestic robots
 GPS
 Traffic lights
Uses of microprocessors in control systems.
A microprocessor is a computing engine assembled in one
chip. It performs all the calculations and data processing of
the controlling unit. Thus the control program is executed
bye microprocessor. It is advantageous to use computer
control for the following reasons:
 computers can respond very rapidly to change.
 systems can run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
 control systems can operate in places that humans would
find dangerous or awkward.
 outputs are consistent and error free.
 computers can process data quickly and machines can
operate faster than humans.
Uses of microprocessors in control systems
There are also several disadvantages.
 The software for the control system is specialist and may cost
a lot of money to develop
 If the computer malfunctions the system will not work
 If there is a power cut the system will not work
 The computer can’t react to unexpected events like a human
could. It can only respond in the way it has been
programmed to.
 It can cause some concern if total control for a system and the
decisions are handed over to a computer.
The role of sensors in control
Sensors are used to measure physical quantities such as
temperature, light, pressure, sound, and humidity. They send
signals to the processor.
For example:
 A security alarm system may have an infrared sensor which
sends a signal when the beam is broken.
 A heat sensitive sensor in the corner of a room may detect the
presence of a person.
 Temperature sensors could be used to control the heating in a
large building.
 Magnetic sensors are used to detect metal and can be placed in
roads to monitor traffic flow.
 Other physical quantities that can be transmitted directly to the
computer's processor include:
• rainfall/water levels
• radiation level
• pH level
• oxygen level
 Output Transducers
 A control system typically comprises of a computer or
microprocessor, a control program which handles data
from sensors and sends signals to output devices and an
interface box to convert signals between the sensors and
the processor.
 The output devices tend to be actuators which can control
real world events. These actuators are output transducers
(a device that converts variations in a physical quantity,
such as pressure or brightness, into an electrical
signal/other forms)
 Some examples of actuators:
The Role of feedback control systems
Feedback occurs when the outputs from a control system
change the inputs, usually to keep the system in a stable state.
Feedback is useful when a certain set of conditions need to be
constantly maintained or a controlled device is to be given
some level of ‘intelligence’.
 Feedback example
Consider a control system that has to maintain a constant level
in a water tank
1. water level falls too low
2. sensor detects water level is too low
3. valve opened to let water in
4. sensor detects water level is too high
5. valve opened to let water out
This process will run indefinitely
Social and ethical Impact of embedded systems
Convenience and improved safety
Computer control is much more accurate and safe because
computers don’t forget to carry out an action e.g. a human can
forget to turn off a cooker when food is cooked but a microwave
will not forget to go off. Computer chips in cars improve fuel
economy and control several parts of the car, including warning
lights.
Deskilling and retraining
Embedded devices can replace humans at some technical level
causing deskilling and sometimes job losses. In some cases those
personnel may need retraining and higher education to fit into
other jobs. For instance not all car engineers are able to repair
electronic cars with chips because it basically requires a degree in
electrical engineering to be able to repair a car that has a computer
chip if the problem is the chip.
Social and ethical Impact of embedded systems

Crime investigation and security.

Embedded devices like CCTV can help capture scenes at a
place and hence assist the police in crime investigation since
these systems can store huge data that can be searched. The
presence of CCTV alone can deter criminals and also make
people feel secure.
Privacy of individuals
Systems which automatically capture personal data and
actions of individuals e.g. biometric systems and CCTV can
infringe on the privacy rights of individuals as data
protection principle stipulates that personal data collection
must always involve an aware and informed data subject.
Social and ethical Impact of embedded systems
 Reliability and Integrity
Some systems may fail with the use of microchips. Because
these chips are used, repairing the device or machine is much
more difficult.
 Security
There is a security issue regarding the use of embedded systems
as these systems may have access to important information like
credit card numbers etc. making it possible for potential hackers
to access this information.
 Over-dependence on computers
When people begin to rely on the use of IT in their everyday
life, they sometimes become addicted to it and need it. This
causes some people to perform less tasks than they could have.
Certain tasks can be performed by computers, including tasks
that could have been better by a human than a machine.
Social and ethical Impact of embedded systems
Social and ethical Impact of embedded systems
 DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Component-1 … Component-n Component-1 … Component-n

Middleware Middleware

Network OS Network OS

Hardware Hardware

Host-1 Host-2
Network
Component-1 … Component-n Component-1 … Component-n

Middleware Middleware

Network OS Network OS

Hardware Hardware

Host-n Host-3
 Distributed systems
A distributed system is a collection of networked
autonomous hosts which execute software components and
operate a distribution middleware that enables components
to coordinate their activities.
A distributed system will have components executing across
a number of hosts to accomplish a task.
 Centralized vs Distributed Systems
Centralized Systems
 Centralized systems have non-autonomous components
 Centralized systems are often built using homogeneous technology
 Multiple users share the resources of a centralized system at all
times
 Centralized systems have a single point of control.
 Centralized system have a single point of failure.
Distributed Systems
 Distributed systems have autonomous components
 Distributed systems may be built using heterogeneous technology
 Distributed system components may be used exclusively
 Distributed systems are executed in concurrent processes
 Distributed systems have multiple points of failure
 Advantages of distributed systems
Performance: very often a collection of processors can
provide higher performance and better price/performance
ratio than a centralized computer.
Improved Reliability and availability: if some of the
machines crash, the system can survive.
Scalability: as requirements on processing power grow, new
machines can be added incrementally
Inherent distribution: Some applications involve spatially
separated machines and so distributed system is a logical
option.
Potential cost reductions: distributed system cost less than
their centralized counterparts as microprocessors offer a
better price/performance than mainframes
 Disadvantages of distributed systems
Security problems: sharing generates the problem of data
security.
Difficulty of developing distributed software: how should
operating systems, programming languages and applications
look like?
Networking problems: several problems are created by the
network infrastructure, which have to be dealt with: loss of
messages, overloading, unavailability
 Autonomous agents
An autonomous agent is an intelligent agent operating on an
owner's behalf but without any interference of that
ownership entity. It refers to an entity that makes its own
choices about how to act in its environment without any
influence from a leader. The autonomous agent is usually
part of a larger system.
Examples include:
 intelligent agents
 autonomous robots
 software agents
 some computer viruses
Features of Autonomous agents
Autonomy
Agents activate alone for a task and are not invoked for a task;
Agents can select the task themselves (based on priorities or
goal-directed search) without human intervention.
Reactive behavior
Agent senses the environment in which it is, and decides
what to do reacting on its perceptions.
Concurrency/sociality
Agents can interact with other agents through
communication, in different modes: coordination,
cooperation, competition.
Persistence
The code describing an agent runs continuously like a
process, and is not executed on demand.