Английский язык. Жесткова М.В - 131 стр.

UptoLike

ВУЗ: 

СамГУПС | Самара

Составители: 

Рубрика: 

131
into English mathematics. At about the same time Babbage first got his idea for mechanically
calculating mathematical tables. Later he made a small calculator that could perform certain
mathematical computations. In 1816 he was elected a Fellow
2
of the Royal Society of London, the
oldest scientific society in Great Britain. Then, in 1823, he received government support for the
design of a projected calculator with a 20-decimal capacity. While he was developing this machine
he also served (1828–39) as a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge.
In the mid-1830s Babbage invented the principle of the analytical engine, the forerunner of the
modern electronic computer. The government refused Babbage further support, however, and the
device was never completed. A calculator based on his ideas was made in 1855 by a Swedish firm,
but the computer was not developed until the electronic age. Babbage published papers on
mathematics, statistics, physics, and geology. He also assisted in establishing England's modern
postal system. Babbage died in London on ct. 18, 1871.
Notes:
1
cowcatcher – предохранительная решётка
2
Fellow – член научного общество
[17] AUTOMATION IN TRANSPORTATION
The most sophisticated applications of automation in transportation have been made in the
guidance and control of aircraft and spacecraft. Other applications include railroad operations and
automatic traffic control.
Aviation. Automated systems combining radar, computers, and auxiliary electronic equipment
have been developed to control the ever-increasing volume of air traffic. Air traffic controllers at
large airports depend on such systems to direct the continuous flow of incoming and outgoing
airplanes. They can pinpoint the position of every plane within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the
airfield on a special display screen of the radar unit. This information allows the controllers to select
the safest route for pilots to follow as they approach and leave the airport. Many of the systems of
the aircraft itself are automated. Oxygen masks, for instance, automatically drop down from
overhead compartments when the cabin pressure becomes too low. Most modern planes have an
automatic pilot that can take over for the human pilot. Commercial passenger planes are usually
equipped with an automatic landing system that can be used when runway visibility is poor. The
system employs radio beams from the ground to operate an instrument on board the plane. By
watching this instrument, a pilot can determine the exact position of his craft in relation to the
landing strip.
Railroads. Automation has become an important factor in railroad operations. The management
of rail yards
1
has been facilitated by computerized systems that integrate the signaling and
switching
2
functions of classification yards, where freight trains are sorted and assembled.
Electronic scanners read color-coded identification labels on all freight cars entering a classification
yard and relay the information to yard computers that assign the cars to the proper track.
Automation has also been adopted by many passenger rail lines. In a number of systems, automatic
equipment is used so extensively that the function of the train operator has been reduced to simple
on and off operations during station stops. Since commands from automatic controls are
continuously fed to other automatic mechanisms in response to information collected by sensors
strategically positioned on the engine and track, human control of the engine is only required in an
emergency.
An impressive example of automated rail transportation is the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
system serving the San Francisco-Oakland area of California. BART consists of more than 75 miles
(121 kilometers) of track and about 100 trains operating between 33 stations at peak hours. Both the
operation of trains and ticketing of passengers are fully automated. As a train enters a station, it

Страницы