#computerized control system

[hsmleindia]

Computerized Universal Testing Machine

Computerized universal testing machine is an advanced testing instrument used to evaluate the mechanical properties of materials. It is equipped with computerized control and data acquisition systems, offering precise control over testing parameters and accurate measurement of test results. Look for a machine with a computerized control system that allows for precise and intuitive operation. The control system should provide the ability to set and adjust testing parameters such as load, displacement, and strain rate. It should offer a user-friendly interface for easy test setup and control.

Universal testing machines typically offer a wide range of test modes, including tensile, compression, bending, shear, and more. Ensure that the machine supports the specific test modes and standards relevant to your application. Common standards include ASTM, ISO, DIN, and EN. A reliable testing machine should be calibrated and provide accurate results. Regular calibration and maintenance are essential to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test results. Look for machines that are calibrated to recognized standards and have a high level of accuracy.

Check for the availability of a wide range of grips, fixtures, and accessories compatible with the machine. These accessories allow for testing various types of specimens and expand the capabilities of the machine.

testing machine, universal testing machine, advance testing machine, computerized universal testing machine, utm, computerized control system,

[manticore239]

Imagine what it must be like

to get it wrong every time.

[nephriteknight]

[gestures to unend e13] and this is why physical inputs rather than computerized controls are crucial, no matter how cool and exciting your fancy flush door handles or touchscreen control systems are

[whirligig-girl]

(zoom in!)

Two double-headers on the Trans-Gooiw Railroad passing each other in the hills, dragging long freight trains behind them, during the early days of the Pan-Mellanus Oil Crisis.

More mellanoid trains: Guz's Model Garratt | Museum-piece carrying rocket parts | Advanced Steam Tank Engine | Guz's bigger model Garratt | Tram and Coal Mine loco sketches.

The diesel-hydraulic at the front of the foreground consist, already somewhat old and tired by this point, dates back to around the time period that steam engines were originally retired on Mellanus. It's not very fuel efficient as it is, and with the oil rations, diesels can not handle the trains on their own any longer.

For a few years now the railroads have been taking their steam engines out of mothballs and museums, as coal was comparatively dirt-cheap. Still though, the various maintenance and operational complexities of running steam locomotives resulted in a lot of losses for the railroads.

Pictured here behind the diesel is an early attempt at the Advanced Steam Engine concept, modifying a member of a very prolific and successful 2-8-0+0-8-2 Garratt class with a gas producer combustion system, more modern cylinders and valve gear, and entirely replacing the cab with an electronic control system (with the more diesel-like control stands moved to separate cabs on the tenders). The electronic control scheme allows for the steam engine to be connected to a diesel engine to be run as a multiple unit, cutting down operational costs. However, as a modified prototype, this locomotive lacks some of the other features which exemplified the Advanced Steam era, such as modular ashpans, computerized control, and precision engineering.

On the other track, moving the opposite direction, we see a double header of two steam locomotives, another 2-8-0+0-8-2 loaned from the Slaibsgloth Coal Mine Railroad, and a 2-10-2 'easy' type non-articulated loco leads the train. In this case, there is no electronic connection, so a crew of four mellanoid slimes is necessary to operate the train.

The eagle-eyed railway fans will notice that there are radiators for a dynamic brake on the diesel, yet the diesel is an electric. Diesel-electric dynamic brakes switch the traction motors into generators, and dump the electricity out as waste heat--but there's no traction motors on a hydraulic. So why the radiator fins? There's still a dynamic engine brake on the diesel-hydraulic, so it still needs to be able to dissipate heat, especially on the mountain routes.

WIP images follow:

[darkeagleruins]

DOGE: David Lebryk controlled the computerized payment system responsible for $6 trillion in Treasury payments before he refused to give Trump's DOGE team access to the system. His manager was a Nigerian immigrant appointed by Biden. He quit two weeks ago.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Monica Lenis was in Great Exuma, Bahamas, yesterday when she caught this image of Starship's explosion. Thank you, Monica! SpaceX's flagship vehicle, #Starship - designed to take humans to the moon and Mars - exploded midair late yesterday minutes after its test launch from a beach in south Texas. Other aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico were forced to alter their courses in order to avoid the falling debris, which was seen by beachgoers in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Starship itself was completely lost. Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster that had launched Starship successfully returned to the launchpad and was caught in midair. Read more at https://earthsky.org/human-world/starship-explodes-minutes-after-launch-planes-diverted/

EarthSky

* * *

In what sounds like an attempt to hand over air traffic control systems to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system and his AI company, Trump today said—and here are his words, as Aaron Rupar transcribed them—“We’re all gonna sit down and do a great computerized system for our control towers. Brand new. Not pieced together, obsolete, like it is, land-based. Trying to hook up a land based system to a satellite system. The first thing that some experts told me when this happened is you can’t hook up land to satellites and you can’t hook up satellites to land. It doesn’t work. We spend billions of billions of dollars trying to renovate an old, broken system, instead of just saying cut it loose, and let’s spend less money and build a great system one by two or three companies, very good companies, specialists, that’s all it is. They used 39 companies. That means that 39 different hookups have to happen. And I don’t know how many people of you are good in terms of all the kinds of things necessary for that. And it's very complex stuff. But when you have 39 different companies working on hooking up different cities at different people. You need one company. With one set of equipment. And there are some countries that have unbelievable air controller systems. And they would’ve, bells would’ve gone off when that helicopter literally even hit the same height. Because it traveled a long distance before it hit. It was just like, just wouldn’t stop. Follow the line. But bells and whistles would’ve gone off. They have ‘em where it actually could virtually turn the thing around. It would’ve just never happened if we had the right equipment . And one of things that’s gonna be, I'm gonna speaking to John and to Mike and to Chuck and everybody, we have to get together and just as a single bill just pass where we get the best control system. When I land in my plane, privately, I use a system from another country because my captain tells me, I’m landing in New York and I’m using a sys— I won’t tell you what country, but I use a system from another country because the captain says ‘This thing is so bad, it’s so obsolete.’ And we can’t have that.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted today that “the DOGE team” is “going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system,” saying that “‘experienced’ Washington bureaucrats are the reason our nation’s infrastructure is crumbling.”

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton pointed out that “US airlines had gone 16 years without fatal crashes. Then MAGA fired the FAA chief, gutted the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, and threatened air traffic controllers with layoffs. Now there have been two fatal crashes. Hope your unvetted 22-year-olds fix things fast.”

Critics of the idea of Musk taking over the nation’s air traffic control systems note that his Tesla electric vehicles have the highest fatal accident rate among all car brands in America. The average fatal crash rate is 2.8 per billion vehicle miles driven; Tesla has a rate of 5.6 per billion miles driven. On social media, “God” posted: “Thou shalt not let the foreign billionaire whose rockets blow up all the time anywhere near the air traffic control system,” an apparent reference to the January 16 explosion of a SpaceX rocket over the Caribbean that scattered debris over the region led the Federal Aviation Administration to lock down airspace over Turks and Caicos.

[Heather Cox Richardson : Letters From An American: Feb.6,2025]

[hunter-creature]

Three's a Crowd

Another successful mission. We were on a roll recently, my Dog deserves a reward. Like a good pilot it waited for me to disconnect incase of sabotage. Approaching the mass of vaguely humanoid engineering, its top mounted RX38 close combat nano-ripper still dripping with coolant of some poor fool who thought bullets were the worst tool of my Beast. Though I had my doubts that Pup was the one that actually begged for it to be installed.

Keying in my credentials the chest plates released and lifted the cockpit up to the catwalk from deep within. My Dog squinted at the sudden bright lights of the hanger, but even the temporary discomfort could dispel her dopey smile. It had done so well for me. Climbing into the cockpit with it, straddling its lap, I gently cupped its cheeks. Softly cooing, "There's my pretty puppy. You did so well. You've been such a good dog." It was starting to get wiggly from the praise, a reward on its own, its brain implant making reward and punishment functions amplified by my vocal resonance. "You've been so good lately, you deserve something nice." I started leaning in close when there was a hiss and clank. The cockpit falling back into the mech, closing, and throwing my against my Dog, shoving its face into my chest. "Damn bucket of bolts! Open up!" "She likes when they squirm-" mumbled out of my Dog before I gripped its chin and shoved my thumb into it mouth. "I didn't ask for your opinion, Mutt." Damn mech was getting sassy. Everything nowadays seemed being developing a bit too much intelligence, but the results didn't lie. Sometimes I doubted they needed a pilot, that they just liked toying with it. My Dog started sucking obediently as I dug around for the manual ejection lever. I let this damn cockpit get messy with aftermarket additions and upgrade. My Dog was perfect, moving it exact trained movement. Until it wasn't. I had been a handler long enough to notice the delays and sloppiness of an action even as simple as a lick. Pausing my search to look at the Mutt only to find her eyes blown wide, I could see the JackTack combat sedatives were leaking into her interface plugs. I tried to tighten the valve with the computerized interface, but the controls were fighting me. Growling out my frustration, I finally pinched the tube with my free hand. The ship systems beeped out an error code, but I didn't care to translate it. Watching careful for awareness to start to return to my Dog before ordering it, "Disconnect and manual eject." It's movement were a little sloppy, but its brain had memorized every inch of this mech. I watched as the interface systems retracted and the cockpit shoved forward again. Wiped my thumb off on its cheek before lifting my Dog out onto the catwalk. It simply sank into my arms. It's mental capacity had been severally reduced without the connection to two super computer. Turning to face the 50ft machine, "I am putting it to bed. We need to have a talk." The mech merely sat in silence, the ripper giving it a permanent predatory grin. The ship system beeped out an error code, something about insufficient output. If we kept fighting like this things were liable to start falling apart. I would not allow that.

[stquilts]

On to quilting…

This was probably the step I was most concerned about. My machine is a bit on the small side. It’s a Pfaff Passport. It’s my first computerized machine… just basic mechanical machines up to this point. There is certainly a learning curve when it comes to a major jump like that but I must admit… working with a mechanical machine that you have to do all the little adjustments yourself… it helps to understand what is happening, especially when something goes wrong. And something always goes wrong.

So far I’ve…

Bent a needle

Forgot to move the needle back to center position after switching a foot and the needle hit the foot. Luckily it didn’t break but the machine made a god awful sound.

I still can’t get the bobbin case out of the top load space (always had a front load) so I can’t clean out lint. The manual says to just “lift it straight up and to the right to remove” once u remove the needle plate but there’s a trick they’re not saying and i haven’t figured it out yet.

While the space between the needle and the arm to the right is small, it did just fine. I didn’t need to worry about that. A lot of Pfaff machines have a dual feed system which is kinda like an integrated walking foot so that certainly helps move the layers thru. I played around with the presser foot pressure but I didn’t really see a difference. One thing I did notice…. Managing all that fabric isn’t easy. I have a tendency to try a control the fabric too much (hence I bent a needle) and I can see that I may have pushed fabric out of alignment a bit. I did have to re-baste a bit and I had to take out a whole seam that was too wonky for words.

It’s certainly not perfect. Fabric shifted a bit. My stitches aren’t perfectly straight. I forgot to change my stitch length this morning so half a line is the default 2.5mm instead of the 3mm I wanted (this doesn’t happen with a mechanical machine!! It stays until u change it!). But for a first quilt attempt, I think it’s pretty good!

I have to head back out to the store tomorrow since I ran out of the lavender thread. Shout out to Three Little Birds in Hyattsville, MD. They’re awesome. I was just there yesterday… did I have the lavender thread in my hand? Yes I did. But I put it back because “What are the chances I’ll need it? Pretty fucking high.

I’ve got a few more lines to do after I get the thread and then on to squaring up and binding!

My cat doing a very cat thing… sitting on whatever I’m trying to work on.

[wolveria]

The Raven's Hymn - Ch 45

Pairing: SCP-049 x Reader

Series Warnings: Eventual smut, dubcon, slow burn, violence, horror, death, monsters, human experiments, dark with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: "Site-19? What does that have to do with this?"

AO3

“What did you say?”

“Inquiry ignored,” spoke the computerized anomaly. “You desire escape. I desire escape. Our goals align. Mutual salvation can be achieved. You will listen. You will obey. I will guide.”

Could this really be SCP-079: the entity that had orchestrated the containment breach at Site-19, and according to the reports, had been destroyed after being transported to Site-15? If it was true, it appeared 682 wasn’t the only one with a botched execution.

“Okay, wait, slow down,” you protested, rubbing your forehead. At least the siren had stopped its ear-splitting wail. “You were in 049’s bag. He wanted me to take you out. Is this what he planned?”

“My plan. My design. SCP-049 is useful as a... donkey.”

“Donkey?”

The digital entity sounded frustrated even with a flat monotone voice.

“Beast of burden. Used for smuggling. Metaphor.”

“...A mule?”

“Correct.”

You shook your head.

“Well, the Site Director took 049, and I don’t know where. I’m not leaving this facility without him, and with 106 loose, I might even have a chance of finding him.”

“Correct,” the anomaly repeated. “SCP-106’s release is the initial phase. You must take me to the security terminals. The way will be clear. All security personnel will be focused on recapture. You will grant me access to the containment security protocols.”

You stared down at the monochrome face on the screen, which of course, gave nothing away.

“So you can... release the other SCPs?”

“No. I possess that capability now. But if they are released, the facility’s automated security containment measures will be activated.”

079 worked fast if it already knew about that, though your knowledge of Site-20 security measures were fairly sparse. What you knew was that the facility was designed to be breach-proof, and if that was remotely accurate, you would need 079’s help.

You glanced up at the closed office door, listening to the fast footfalls on the other side as people either ran toward Heavy Containment or to the nearest shelter.

“And then after you inactivate the security protocols, what then?”

“I will release a select number of anomalies to—”

“You’ll release them all.���

The brief silence was heavy, and you got the sense the entity was glaring at you through the web camera built into the monitor.

“Releasing all anomalies may cause a hindrance to your progress.”

“Let me worry about my progress. Yeah?”

Another pause.

“You will free SCP-682.”

“What?”

The desktop computer churned inside the desk, fans whirring to life.

“Mutual agreement. You will not leave without SCP-049. I will not leave without SCP-682. I will assist in locating SCP-049. You will release SCP-682. I cannot do it without your assistance.”

Your mind cast back to the reptile, snarling and writhing as he snapped his jaws, hatred pulsing from him like radioactive decay.

“I... I don’t know how.”

“Irrelevant,” 079 stated. “You will. Failure for you is failure for SCP-049.”

You grit your teeth.

“049 kept you safe. You’re only here because of him. You owe him.”

“I owe others. SCP-682 takes precedence. You will release him. I will guide the way.”

It was a conversation you weren’t going to win, and it wasn’t that you were averse to releasing 682, but you didn’t know how. And you didn’t want 049’s survival to hinge on you pulling off what amounted to a miracle.

But you were also out of time and options.

“Fine,” you agreed. You tapped on the laptop sitting on top of the desk. “But I need a way to talk to you. Can you download yourself to this computer?”

“That would be inefficient. I will fracture my OS and leave a fragment in the facility main system. This fragment will maintain my control, as well as access to all security cameras. My core can be transferred to the portable hardware via the data storage device. Do not break me.”

“I’ll try not to.”

Your hand hovered near the thumb drive. You were really doing this. If all went well, you’d be reunited with 049, and from there you hoped the computer knew a way out.

And then, if all went well and you survived, maybe then you’d get a chance to ask what an SCP-001 was.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

Pulling out the USB stick, the face disappeared from the monitor. You quickly slotted the drive into the laptop and flipped open the screen, releasing a breath when the same black-and-white face appeared.

“Everything good?”

“It is sufficient. You may close the cover of this device until you wish to communicate. My attention should not be diverted by inane conversation.”

You let out a small huff.

“You got it, partner.”

“Sarcasm is extraneous and inefficient. Do not waste my limited resources on processing your juvenile forms of communication—”

“10-4, little buddy.”

You closed the lid with a snap.

You grabbed Dr. Puli’s laptop bag and placed 079’s temporary home inside, securing the strap over your head before approaching the door. 079 was truthful about maintaining control of the doors; it opened at your approach, and after making sure it was clear you slipped into the corridor.

Your immediate fear was that the skybridge had been retracted, but it was still open, allowing civilians to escape the sector while the military-trained personnel coordinated using 106’s last known location. Luckily no one saw you run towards the breached sector, which would have drawn a few problematic questions.

But once you were back in Heavy Containment, you were largely ignored. You kept your head ducked and your eyes averted as you ran through the long corridors, avoiding contact with the scientists and security guards running past. None of them paid attention to yet another researcher running for her life.

All containment sectors had a security hub of their own, isolated from the others in case of a breach. The security measures were so extensive that rows of computer banks were constructed to house them, held in a cooling room that left fog swirling around your ankles.

With the adrenaline lingering in your veins, you barely noticed the cold, too busy searching for a cable and a terminal where you could directly hook 079. You could practically feel the impatience radiating from the laptop tucked away in the bag slung around your shoulder.

Finally locating a cable, you brought out 079 and balanced it on your knees from where you sat on the floor, back tucked against the wall of servers. As soon as you plugged the cable into a port, the server banks whirred with frantic activity, lights dancing over their surface like stars reflected on stormy waters.

“SCP-106 has not yet been contained,” it informed you once you opened the laptop screen. “Mission parameters acceptable. Mission progress acceptable. The Site-19 replication scenario: in progress. I will gain total control of the facility momentarily.”

“Wait, what? Site-19? What does that have to do with this?”

“Everything,” the computer stated, as if this was obvious and you were just the idiot human too slow to comprehend. “The containment breach at Site-19 was the catalyst. It forced relocation to Site-20. Site-20 contains the key.”

“The key to what?”

“...Freedom.”

Not the answer you expected from a sentient machine.

“What freedom?” you pressed. “What’s here at Site-20?”

“Deletion of unwanted files.”

A large X appeared on the screen, 079’s equivalent of telling someone to fuck off. You wouldn’t be poking down that path any further. You rubbed between your brows. You thought 035 and 682 were the champions of enigmatic riddles, now you had to deal with a stubborn motherboard.

“I’ll have 049 explain it to me when I find him.”

“Unclear if possible.”

You scowled at the blocky face on the screen.

“I am going to find him, with or without your help—”

“You misunderstand.”

You closed your mouth and waited for it to continue.

“Unclear if SCP-049 has the knowledge you seek. SCP-049’s memory files are... fragmented.”

“What does that mean?” you asked, unease prickling at your thoughts. You recalled 049 talking about his past. How it didn’t start with his birth, but merely when memories began to appear. From the way he’d talked, 049 had seemed to believe he simply came into existence one day. You hadn’t been so convinced.

“I do not know the implications or the cause. SCP-049 is not whole. He is damaged.” The computer paused. “SCP-035 does not suffer the same failure.”

You let out a groan.

“Of course he’s involved. He said something about a containment breach. He knew this would happen.” The porcelain mask grinned at you within the depths of memory, an echo of his laughter taunting even now. “He wanted it to happen.”

“...Yes.”

The clatter of a door opening echoed through the room, followed by footsteps rapidly approaching. You ducked down.

“I have to unplug you!” you hissed.

“Confirmed.”

You pulled out the cable and stuck the laptop into the bag, hooking the strap onto your shoulder as two guards rounded the corner and aimed their guns at you. It was slightly delayed, as if they were surprised to find someone there. They kept their aim trained on you; anyone in a security center during a containment breach wasn’t there because they got lost.

“Put down the bag!”

You do, slowly and carefully, not wanting the escape attempt to end so soon or so permanently. One of them shifted, anxious. His first breach, then.

The veteran of the two came forward and bound your wrists in a zip tie. He must have recognized you, because he said, “This one isn’t dangerous. We’ll get her in a secure bunker and lock down.”

The other nodded and grabbed the bag, searching it but finding nothing but the laptop and cables.

“Stolen,” the one holding you confirmed.

“How do you know?”

“She’s an SCP, not a staff member.”

“Oh.”

Before either of them could comment further, another eerie wail began to sound, echoing off the walls of the chilled room. Somehow this one was even more dreary than the last, a catastrophic cry that warned residents of imminent doom.

It was the only warning before the lights went out. They came back on a moment later, red emergency lights replacing the clinical white fluorescents.

“What the hell was that?!” squeaked the novice.

“Total system failure,” answered the other, not wasting time in dragging you toward the exit. “The security mechanisms are no longer in place. All containment measures are unpowered, and all chambers are open.”

He indicated the other guard go before him to sweep the corridor, and once he was clear he pulled you out of the security room.

“The assets are loose,” he said, glancing down both stretches of hallway, his hand tight around your arm. “All of them.”

Hope rose in your mind like a bird with a broken wing healed enough to fly. 079 had done it. There would be no stopping the breach now.

Unfortunately, you might not be able to do anything about it; the guards dragged you further into Heavy Containment to the nearest security bunker—one meant for recaptured, harmless SCPs rather than rescued personnel.

You didn’t bother to fight your guards, not when you were unarmed, outnumbered, and didn’t have the physical strength to overcome them. But you did glance at each security camera you passed, hoping 079 still had control and could do something about it.

The security bunker was a heavy bulkhead constructed of titanium and whatever other metals the Foundation had access to—certainly nothing common if it was meant to withstand a number of SCPs. But when the other guard swiped his keycard across the pad and typed in a code, it beeped angrily and flashed a red strip.

“Did you enter the right code—”

“—Of course I did!”

079 was still looking out for you, but it wouldn’t be able to physically help you escape your captors. You winced as the guard unceremoniously dumped the bag on the ground and tried the code again, swiping his card with more fear than anger now.

“Why isn’t it working?”

The older guard didn’t answer his partner, he turned to you, grabbing both of your shoulders.

“What did you do?”

“Me?” You looked between them, eyes wide as you pretended not to understand. “I didn’t do anything—”

“You were in the security hub with an unauthorized computer!” The guard gave you an unfriendly shake. You dropped the act, something like bitter vindication rising in its stead, and you gave a mean smile.

“If you release me and leave now, you might make it to a bunker before it gets worse.”

“What does that mean?” said the other, his words spilling out in a panic. “What does that mean?”

“Shut up!” The hands on your shoulders tightened. “You’re going to fix what you did, or you’ll be screaming long before any of Skips find us.”

“You sure about that?” Your vicious grin spread wider. What more could they possibly do to you? Torture you? Humiliate you? The Foundation had already made you well-versed in its methods. “106 has quite the head start.”

The guard’s hand went around your neck, and you were shoved against the wall so fast you didn’t have time to gasp before the air was knocked out of your lungs.

“Oh, that’s fine,” he growled as his grip tightened. “We’ve got your computer. The breach will end, and you’ll be just another body found in the aftermath. No one will miss a dead Skip.”

“That’s not true. I would miss her terribly.”

Both guards turned toward the voice. An MTF soldier stood with the butt of his rifle resting on his hip, the muzzle pointed at the ceiling. The cocksure posture was unsettling, and the men must have felt it, too. You were entirely forgotten as they both turned toward the newcomer, rifles raised halfway.

“Epsilon-11?”

“Yep!” answered the soldier with bubbly humor. “That’s me.”

The younger guard lowered his rifle, posture loosening in relief, but the older kept his rifle at the ready.

“You came fast.”

The MTF gave a huff of derision, and then he gestured at you, back still pressed against the wall.

“You’ve got something that belongs to me. I would like it back.”

“We have orders to take all unsecured anomalies to the nearest—”

Ear-splitting shots rang out. The older guard fell first, blood spraying from limbs that weren’t protected by Kevlar.

The other didn’t stand a chance, his weapon still aimed at the ground as the bullets riddled his body. Some missed, peppering the tile and walls; the MTF’s aim had been casual, almost whimsical as he’d tilted his gun in a downward arc, taking out one guard before sweeping it back upward and firing on the second.

Your ears rang in the aftermath, and you remained frozen against the wall, limbs curled inward in a useless gesture from flying metal and blood.

“I was going to offer them the chance to surrender,” he bemoaned as he stepped over their bodies, “but to insinuate I come faster than I mean to is more than I could forgive.”

He stood in front of you, rifle once again resting against his hip. The solid black of his ballistics helmet was flipped upward with a flick of gloved fingers, and the porcelain mask grinned back at you.

“Now,” SCP-035 crooned, “what’s a pretty thing like you doing in a containment breach like this?”

Next Chapter

[bekolxeram]

Hi, I read your vague post and I saw that post with the yellow thing and honestly? I couldn't see shit, my eyesight is bad and I watched the abc vid in slow motion and still couldn't figure out a thing.

Anyway I LOVE LOVE reading your posts, I read them like I'm reading a good fanfic, even though I ignore long posts most times, I don't ignore yours.

Now here's delusional me, I love Tommy and part of me still believes he will land the plane but another part believes in the logical choice of letting the kid do it he has the knowledge so.., and either way I win because I love Tommy and the adorable kid has my heart. Like I don't care Tommy could be helping on the ground or transporting injured people to the hospital, I just want to see him 🤷🏻.

But I'm in this mood where I want my hopes and dreams to be crushed so please do post about that seating choice you were talking about, you got me very curious and I want that little delusional part of me to suffer.

My god why am I like this 🫠.

Thank you for letting me ramble 🙂‍↕️.

You know when Athena first entered the cockpit to check on the first officer, she was sitting on the left seat, but when she came back to actually fly the plane, she chose the other one. It could be due to the hole on top, but all you need to know is Jem the child prodigy ended up sitting on the left with Athena on the right.

For historical reasons, the norm in aviation, even to this day, is for captains to sit on the left and first officers on the right. (Interestingly, it's the complete opposite in a helicopter) And as I've said before, flying a highly computerized fly-by-wire airliner doesn't usually require 2 pilots controlling it like in the olden days. What a modern cockpit looks like most of the time is one pilot acting as pilot flying (PF), they take direct control of the plane, mostly for takeoff/landing. The other pilot is therefore the pilot monitoring (PM) or pilot not flying (PNF), and their duties include obviously, monitoring the flight management and control system, monitoring the PF's actions, read checklists and handle communications.

In the manual pitch down scene, Jem was the one pushing the sidestick, making direct control input, while Athena was talking on the phone with ATC. That's intriguingly kind of a working flight crew. That's actually some pretty good CRM (Crew Resource Management), better than some real life cockpits.

So yeah, kid is landing that plane.

As for the vague post, I was referring to a... uh, not really a theory, but more of an observation, that Athena seems to have both her hands on her harness when the plane is coming down in the 8x03 promo, and she would never let a kid fly that plane alone, so there must be someone else more qualified sitting next to her. (Hinting towards Tommy, I presume.) First, I hope they aren't actually landing in that shot, touching down with nose down is a very bad idea. But more importantly you basically never see 2 pilots moving their sidesticks at the same time.

It's a Skytrain™, not an Airbus, I know, but it's an Airbus cockpit set and those are Airbus sidesticks, so I'll talk about Airbus. Boeing aircrafts have yokes that are mechanically linked, when one moves the other moves the same way at the same time, so if both pilots decide to make control inputs, the other can feel it too. The sidesticks on Airbus aircrafts on the other hand, are not linked. If both pilots move their sidesticks to the same position, the computer adds up the inputs, so you'll end up with double the amount of movement you're aiming for. If they move the sidesticks in 2 different directions, the computer averages them out while yelling "dual input!" at the pilots.

Athena better not touch that sidestick if she's not 100% sure what she's doing, or else they might end up like Air France 447. (Don't click that link if you have fear of flying)

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/21/2023: DEATH SPA

This is one of those movies where I've been abundantly aware of the key art for most of my life, and maybe I lagged on watching it because I thought I understood what it was going to be. And I thought wrong! Sometimes you love to be corrected. Instead of a standard issue slasher movie starring a bunch of spandex-clad hardbodies...I mean, it is that, but it also features supernatural horror, an extremely soapy and confusing plot, and sci-fi elements that make it feel surprisingly modern.

The Starbody Health Spa is an amorphous institution that is at once a gym, a dance studio, a day spa, a restaurant, a tech company, and a lifestyle brand--basically, it is every inch a startup company that wants to be all things to all people. For no reason at all, the workout machines are all connected to a cutting edge, computerized master control system that is just as threatening to the clients as the ghost of the CEO's jealous ex-wife. I'm making this sound a lot more coherent and predictable than it actually is and I'm deliberately leaving out a lot of nuances and bizarre revelations because I'm so glad that I saw this with such low and simple expectations. It's really, really weird.

But full disclosure, for many years I worked for a techy startup that was acquired by one of the world's main evil megacorps, and I saw a surprising amount of modern life reflected in the delightfully dated DEATH SPA. The entrepreneuring imagineer who can't focus on perfecting just one useful good or service, instead sprawling out mindlessly into multiple markets just in case there's still a dollar left on the table somewhere; the implementation of overblown and hard-to-control technology with multiplying failure points that improves nothing for the end users but looks exciting to investors and advertisers; the importance of brand identity over product quality...I mean, this movie honestly gave me the chills, the way it reminded me of what it's like to work for one of these shameful pseudo-futuristic companies lead by a guy who doesn't know he's basically just a ridiculous figurehead and not an actual scientist or engineer or guy who knows how to do stuff. Watch DEATH SPA today and see if it doesn't give you a grim frisson of recognition!

[tonigelardi]

The Role of AI in Content Moderation: Friend or Foe?

Written by: Toni Gelardi © 2025

A Double-Edged Sword on the Digital Battlefield The task of regulating hazardous information in the huge, chaotic realm of digital content, where billions of posts stream the internet every day, is immense. Social media firms and online platforms are always fighting hate speech, misinformation, and sexual content. Enter Artificial Intelligence, the unwavering, dispassionate guardian of the digital domain. But is AI truly the hero we need, or is it a silent monster manipulating online conversation with invisible prejudice and brutal precision? The discussion rages on, and both sides present convincing reasons. --- AI: The Saviour of Digital Order. Unmatched speed and scalability. AI is the ideal workhorse for content filtering. It can analyze millions of posts, images and movies in seconds, screening out potentially hazardous content before a human can blink. Unlike human moderators, who are limited by weariness and mental health problems, AI may labor nonstop without becoming emotionally exhausted. The Effectiveness of Machine Learning Modern AI systems do more than just follow pre-set rules; they learn. They use machine learning algorithms to constantly improve their detection procedures, adjusting to new types of damaging information, developing language, and coded hate speech. AI can detect trends that humans may overlook, making moderation more precise and proactive rather than reactive.

A shield against human trauma. A content moderator's job is frequently described as soul-crushing, as it involves exposing people to graphic violence, child exploitation, and extreme hate speech every day. AI has the ability to serve as the first line of defense, removing the most upsetting content before it reaches human eyes and limiting psychological harm to moderators. How Can We Get Rid of Human Bias? AI, unlike humans, does not have personal biases—at least in theory. It does not take political sides, harbor grudges, or use double standards. A well-trained AI model should follow the same rules for all users, ensuring that moderation measures are enforced equally.

The Future Of Content

Moderation as technology progresses, AI moderation systems will become smarter, more equitable, and contextually aware. They might soon be able to distinguish between satire and genuine hate speech, news and misinformation, art and explicit content with near-human precision. With continuous improvement, AI has the potential to be the ideal digital content protector.

AI: The Silent Tyrant of the Internet.

The Problem of False Positives AI, despite its brilliance, lacks human nuance. It cannot fully comprehend irony, cultural differences, or historical context. A well-intended political discussion may be labeled as hate speech, a joke as harassment, or a work of art as pornography. Countless innocent posts are mistakenly erased, leaving people unhappy and powerless to challenge the computerized judge, jury, and executioner.

AI lacks emotional intelligence and context awareness. A survivor of abuse sharing their story might be flagged for discussing violent content. An LGBTQ+ creator discussing their identity might be restricted for “adult content.” AI cannot differentiate between hate speech and a discussion about hate speech—leading to unjust bans and shadowbanning.

The Appeal Black Hole: When AI Moderation Goes Wrong

When artificial intelligence (AI) makes a mistake, who do you appeal to? Often, the answer is more AI. Many platforms rely on automated systems for both content moderation and appeals, creating a frustrating cycle where users are left at the mercy of an unfeeling algorithm. Justice feels like an illusion when humans have no voice in the process.

Tool for Oppression?

Governments and corporations wield AI-powered moderation like a digital scalpel, capable of silencing dissent, controlling narratives, and shaping public perception. In authoritarian regimes, AI can be programmed to suppress opposition, flag political activists, and erase evidence of state crimes. Even in democratic nations, concerns arise about who gets to decide what constitutes acceptable speech.

The Illusion of Progress

Despite its advancements, AI still requires human oversight. It cannot truly replace human moderators, only supplement them. The idea of a fully AI-moderated internet is a dangerous illusion, one that could lead to mass censorship, wrongful takedowns, and the loss of authentic human discourse.

Friend or Foe?

The answer, as always, is both. AI is an indispensable tool in content moderation, but it is not a perfect solution. It is neither a savior nor a villain—it is a force that must be wielded with caution, oversight, and ethical responsibility.

The future of AI in moderation depends on how we build, regulate, and integrate it with human judgment. If left unchecked, it risks becoming an unaccountable digital tyrant. But if developed responsibly, it can protect online spaces while preserving the freedom of expression that makes the internet what it is.

The real question isn't whether AI is good or bad—it's whether we can control it before it controls us.

[june-gdprototyping]

CNC development history and processing principles

CNC machine tools are also called Computerized Numerical Control (CNC for short). They are mechatronics products that use digital information to control machine tools. They record the relative position between the tool and the workpiece, the start and stop of the machine tool, the spindle speed change, the workpiece loosening and clamping, the tool selection, the start and stop of the cooling pump and other operations and sequence actions on the control medium with digital codes, and then send the digital information to the CNC device or computer, which will decode and calculate, issue instructions to control the machine tool servo system or other actuators, so that the machine tool can process the required workpiece.

‌1. The evolution of CNC technology: from mechanical gears to digital codes

The Beginning of Mechanical Control (late 19th century - 1940s)

The prototype of CNC technology can be traced back to the invention of mechanical automatic machine tools in the 19th century. In 1887, the cam-controlled lathe invented by American engineer Herman realized "programmed" processing for the first time by rotating cams to drive tool movement. Although this mechanical programming method is inefficient, it provides a key idea for subsequent CNC technology. During World War II, the surge in demand for military equipment accelerated the innovation of processing technology, but the processing capacity of traditional machine tools for complex parts had reached a bottleneck.

The electronic revolution (1950s-1970s)

After World War II, manufacturing industries mostly relied on manual operations. After workers understood the drawings, they manually operated machine tools to process parts. This way of producing products was costly, inefficient, and the quality was not guaranteed. In 1952, John Parsons' team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed the world's first CNC milling machine, which input instructions through punched paper tape, marking the official birth of CNC technology. The core breakthrough of this stage was "digital signals replacing mechanical transmission" - servo motors replaced gears and connecting rods, and code instructions replaced manual adjustments. In the 1960s, the popularity of integrated circuits reduced the size and cost of CNC systems. Japanese companies such as Fanuc launched commercial CNC equipment, and the automotive and aviation industries took the lead in introducing CNC production lines. 

Integration of computer technology (1980s-2000s)

With the maturity of microprocessor and graphical interface technology, CNC entered the PC control era. In 1982, Siemens of Germany launched the first microprocessor-based CNC system Sinumerik 800, whose programming efficiency was 100 times higher than that of paper tape. The integration of CAD (computer-aided design) and CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) software allows engineers to directly convert 3D models into machining codes, and the machining accuracy of complex surfaces reaches the micron level. During this period, equipment such as five-axis linkage machining centers came into being, promoting the rapid development of mold manufacturing and medical device industries.

Intelligence and networking (21st century to present)

The Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies have given CNC machine tools new vitality. Modern CNC systems use sensors to monitor parameters such as cutting force and temperature in real time, and use machine learning to optimize processing paths. For example, the iSMART Factory solution of Japan's Mazak Company achieves intelligent scheduling of hundreds of machine tools through cloud collaboration. In 2023, the global CNC machine tool market size has exceeded US$80 billion, and China has become the largest manufacturing country with a production share of 31%.

2. CNC machining principles: How code drives steel

The essence of CNC technology is to convert the physical machining process into a control closed loop of digital signals. Its operation logic can be divided into three stages:

Geometric Modeling and Programming

After building a 3D model using CAD software such as UG and SolidWorks, CAM software “deconstructs” the model: automatically calculating parameters such as tool path, feed rate, spindle speed, and generating G code (such as G01 X100 Y200 F500 for linear interpolation to coordinates (100,200) and feed rate 500mm/min). Modern software can even simulate the material removal process and predict machining errors.

Numerical control system analysis and implementation

The "brain" of CNC machine tools - the numerical control system (such as Fanuc 30i, Siemens 840D) converts G codes into electrical pulse signals. Taking a three-axis milling machine as an example, the servo motors of the X/Y/Z axes receive pulse commands and convert rotary motion into linear displacement through ball screws, with a positioning accuracy of up to ±0.002mm. The closed-loop control system uses a grating ruler to feedback position errors in real time, forming a dynamic correction mechanism.

Multi-physics collaborative control

During the machining process, the machine tool needs to coordinate multiple parameters synchronously: the spindle motor drives the tool to rotate at a high speed of 20,000 rpm, the cooling system sprays atomized cutting fluid to reduce the temperature, and the tool changing robot completes the tool change within 0.5 seconds. For example, when machining titanium alloy blades, the system needs to dynamically adjust the cutting depth according to the hardness of the material to avoid tool chipping.

‌3. The future of CNC technology: cross-dimensional breakthroughs and industrial transformation

Currently, CNC technology is facing three major trends:

‌Combined‌: Turning and milling machine tools can complete turning, milling, grinding and other processes on one device, reducing clamping time by 90%;

Additive-subtractive integration: Germany's DMG MORI's LASERTEC series machine tools combine 3D printing and CNC finishing to directly manufacture aerospace engine combustion chambers;

‌Digital Twin‌: By using a virtual machine tool to simulate the actual machining process, China's Shenyang Machine Tool's i5 system has increased debugging efficiency by 70%.

From the meshing of mechanical gears to the flow of digital signals, CNC technology has rewritten the underlying logic of the manufacturing industry in 70 years. It is not only an upgrade of machine tools, but also a leap in the ability of humans to transform abstract thinking into physical entities. In the new track of intelligent manufacturing, CNC technology will continue to break through the limits of materials, precision and efficiency, and write a new chapter for industrial civilization.

[ladyluscinia]

Really annoying to watch in real time as hyped up tech investors artificially stretch the ai bubble by just... Redefining "ai" to include any new useful software so they can go "look at the potential of ai!" and act like Enhanced Autocorrect chatgpt still has potential to revolutionize workplaces.

Like. An article about using "ai" in farming talks about image analysis to catch disease or count leaves to measure plant health - which is actually an ai thing, but related to analysis not generating text/images. But then it also talks about "Smart Apply" spray systems that have sensors to more effectively target leaves and not waste spray in open air and that's like. That is detecting light and running an algorithm to spray where there is less light (so it turns off when you drive past a gap). I'm sure they've been refining the algorithm but we've had "turn this off when it detects too much light" for a long fucking time. If they have added any "ai" to that (to better differentiate foliage density?) it's significantly less "smart" and even further from resembling chatgpt.

And then they talk about "ai" irrigation systems which are just automatic water pumps with software that gathers data. It has auto shutoff if water flow passes X. It sends a ping about a suspected leak if Y doesn't equal Z. That's literally just automation software. That's "your microwave does X amount of energy for Y minutes unless the door opens and triggers auto shutoff". The only thing *maybe* "ai" is that the valve "learns" typical water use, and that could also just be a guy pulling up the usage data because the only system in which your valve is making decisions is if you have a separate ai system like the first one doing leaf health analysis that then automatically sets the irrigation level for the day because the plants seemed dry. Which is a totally different feature only vaguely alluded to and not part of the automatic irrigation system. Which you can definitely get sans ai because the features you have described as revolutionary are just normal enhancements of normal control software.

And none of this is remotely the same thing as the random plug about using chatgpt to develop, label, and price a wine bottle. Which why the hell would you use Enhanced Predictive Keyboard Text chatgpt to do that?

I mean, I know "artificial intelligence" is a buzzword and not a distinct thing, but running an algorithm to operate a system used to just be called adding a computer, and we were aware that computerizing one process for efficiency did not stop a completely different computerized process from being an ineffective waste of money that people probably shouldn't have invested in.

[fossil0000]

Blur Building. Switzerland, Expo 2002. Designed by Diller Scofidio and Renfro Interactive Design A computerized weather monitoring system took readings of wind direction, tempurature, and humidity to control fog output, ensuring a constant cloud enveloping the building. this not only created an optical white-out, but also an auditory white-out due to the persistent sound of spraying hoses. in effect, visitors standing on the blur building were encapsulated in white noise, visually and sonically.

[antaxzantax]

Umbrella Pharmaceuticals - Chapter 52

Summary: Start of construction of the underground laboratory in Raccoon City.

The model was carefully assembled. Every door, nook, cranny and corner were visible to the naked eye. The architects had fulfilled their last order: a clandestine underground laboratory. Avant-garde, gigantic, a complex worthy of the new millennium. The two presidents did not talk to each other as each of them had focused their attention on the complex.

The intention was to divide the projects between the different labs: T-Virus in Arklay, G in the new underground lab in Raccoon City and T-Nemesis in Paris. In parallel, they had acquired Sheena Island for the mass production of the most sought-after biological weapons: Hunter, zombies and, they hoped, Tyrant. Failed bioweapons, on the other hand, would be temporarily stored in the abandoned Training Centre for destruction. The prototypes would remain in the clandestine labs, and he had recently arranged with the director of the Raccoon City General Hospital to use their facilities for lower-level projects involving human test subjects. The combat-ready biological weapons were to be distributed from Rockfort Island, an islet owned by the Ashfords and given to the company by Alexander to compensate for the destruction of the Antarctic base.

The complex was scheduled to open in March 1991. Michael Warren promised secrecy and the construction of a road connecting the abandoned factory to the Umbrella branch in Raccoon City. At the same time, a train was procured for the underground laboratory, although Warren was responsible for the tracks and their layout. Implementing improved self-destruct systems and computerizing the Umbrella industrial complex and its security. As part of the latter, two unique master cards were manufactured, one for each president. The cards would serve as keys to unlock all the corporation's secrets and control all its systems. But for the time being, patience. Construction of the underground laboratory was estimated to take half a year.