• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Tricorder, TOS

knightgrace

Captain
Captain
Recently I have become aware of new research in into Trinary based computers. Trinary systems traditionally use; 0, 1, 2 values instead of; 0, 1 Binary values. The newer version uses something a bit different; -, 0, +, that is negative, zero, and positive...
Both can be accommodated. This, I will say, is the functionality TRANSTATOR. Either/or.
For storage, 0, 1, and 2. For logic operators; -, 0, and +. This is the essence of change.

A Tricorder is defined as being a combination of a computer, a sensor system, and a recording device.

But the processor has always been the problem (keyword search: Ovonics)(a 1980s era attempt at Trinary logic/memory).


But now? Because someone realized that an "indefinite" was required in more modern computers. A way of producing a means of simulating Quantum systems, without actually doing so. The zero, is not, in all circumstances actually a zero, but an indefinite. Permitting am accommodation, for Quantum solutions.

The United States Air Force F-15 Eagle A and B models made use of a equivalent to an IBM PC 16 bit computer. My problem has been getting enough computational power squeezed into the volume of a TOS Tricorder. So what has to be accommodated? Two CPUs...at least one Digital Signal Processor...memory greater than 64k bytes(binary). See the problem? Could be done by about 1995 at the latest.

But the designers of the United States Air Force F-22, ran into a problem, it is called "data fusion". This is in combination the use of multiple different types of sensors accommodating their nature to the needs at hand to derive a coherent sensor image to allow for the nature of the object under detection. Furthermore, one has to allow, in real-time the data displayed to the pilot. Eight hundred million instructions per second, was the required minimum number to do this. Without Artificial Intelligence operations...

A Tricorder, in other words had to have the ability, with indefinite data, to tell you that object such and such is an unidentified lifeforms number 18,151...because of the following indicators.


Multivalued logic, holds this promise, trinary because it is finite in value; -, 0, and +, for logic: and 0, 1, and 2 for the required amount of immediate memory, 3^16, not 2^16, without extension.

With extension 3^22.
 
A type of trinary computer. Something has to boost the power over pre Duotronic computers...

Clock speed? No.

Memory bandwidth (achieved using processing in memory design. No.

Artificial Intelligence? No. Because of Nomad. Never mind Tan Ru.

My reason for using the McDonald-Douglas F-15 computer model is that two CPUs are in use, one for tracking, the other for scanning...that is what is called 'Track while Scanning' the A, and B models could track just one target, while scanning for others. C and D models could track multiple targets, while scanning for others. The primary change between the A/B, and C/D, was faster CPUs, and going to an all digital signal processor.

Small problem: analysis. The requirement for analization of data imply a must greater CPU Clock speed. And perhaps, a greater word length. By going to -, 0, and +, effectively increases overall, the need for, let's say a 128 bit word CPU.

The Franz Joseph version of the Tricorder, had twenty-four channels to work with...implying that the set up is akin to the setup of the BBQ--5 sonar on United States submarines. Twenty-four repeated sensors give with a significantly fast CPU the edge in analyzing data. The timing differential between signals, would give good data on direction/distance and area/volume covered by the signal. Then keep in mind that by walking/running you get a synthetic appiture of what is going on around the Tricorder...
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top