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UNIT 12. LESSON 3

Read the text without a dictionary.

12B. NEW AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

A large number of cybernetic problems are being tackled in air transport, too. The growing intensity of air traffic has called for the automation of its control. The world's biggest airports handle up to 1,000 planes a day. The dangerous situations that often arise as a result tell on an aerodrome's capacity.

The automatic air traffic system takes over a large proportion of the work involved in the information exchange between dispatcher and pilot. At the same time, it carries out all sorts of calculations and warns the dispatcher of potential danger, thus taking a lot of nervous strain and effort out of his work.

Fundamental research is being carried out into the automation of automobile driving. The "robot driver" system is called upon to do two things: to keep the vehicle on the road and to prevent it from colliding with the cars ahead or running into obstacles. The first problem was solved experimentally by tracing a luminous line on the road and fitting a car with a photocell which keeps an "eye" on this line, and, through a set of actuating mechanisms, adjusts the steering wheel in case of the slightest deviation from the course.

The second problem is more complex, both technically and economically. Life itself insistently calls for its solution. Two ideas are considered the most practicable in this respect - the use of microwave radar which probes the stretch of the road lying ahead of the moving car and presents the road situation on a dishboard screen. In conditions of poor visibility, it can always take over the steering wheel and brake control. The other idea is to lay "loops" of current-carrying cable under the road surface. When a car passes over such a loop, the latter's magnetic characteristic changes, this being a source of information for the car following immediately behind. The latter's transducers pick the signal and transmit continuous measurements of the distance to the leading car, its speed and the gain rate. In critical situation, the engine is stopped automatically.

Apart from the systems described above there are efficient and timesaving cybernetic devices intended for handling trains, ships and planes. Two systems are of special interest.

The first system is meant for booking train tickets. It consists of an electronic computer, cash registers connected with it via communication channels and an information board displayed prominently at the terminals, at the Central Booking Bureau and at the city station. The computer storages contain information about the

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vacancies in each train departing from the city every day and keep the booking agents informed on the availability of any given place. With the increase in storage capacity, the systems will make it possible to book tickets 30 to 60 days in advance.

An electronic system for controlling the speed of trains has been installed on several lines in the underground. More trains per hour can run thanks to this system. Automatic devices keep an eye on how loaded the line is and step up or cut down the speed of the trains or even stop them altogether if necessary.

Medical engineers also design more electronic aids to help people. They are divising replacement parts for the human body - from skin to the spinal cord.

COMPREHENSION TEST

I.Put in the missed words.

1.The growing ... of air traffic has called for the automation.

2.The automatic air traffic system is involved in the information ... between dispatcher and pilot.

3.The robot-driver system is to keep the ... on the road.

4.This problem was solved by ... a luminous line on the road.

5.The robot-driver system has also to prevent the ... from colliding with other cars.

6.This problem is more complex, ... technically and economically.

7.The first idea is the use of ... .

8.The other idea is to lay 'loops' of cable under the road ... .

9.In critical ..., the engine is stopped automatically.

10.The computer storage of an automatic booking train tickets system contains information about the ... in each train.

11.Medical engineers divise ... parts for human body.

II.Find the answers to the following questions.

1.Why is automation needed in air?

2.What kind of job does an automatic system perform?

3.What is being done in the automation of automobile driving?

4.What functions does the 'robot driver' system perform?

5.How was the first problem solved?

6.What difficulties arise out of the second problem?

7.What are the two ways of solving this problem?

8.What is done with the machine in critical situation?

9.What does the system for booking train tickets consist of?

10.What kind of information is stored in its computer?

11.What is the contribution of medical engineers in the process of automation?

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Translate the text into English. Entitle the text.

TEXT 12C

Автоматизация - это термин, обозначающий использование машин для выполнения работы, которую раньше делал человек. Автоматизация - это более высокая степень технического прогресса.

За последние годы были сделаны значительные достижения во всех областях науки, промышленности и техники. То, что является новым сегодня, становится историей завтра. Быстрый рост требует надежной информации, которая должна

быть всегда доступна и ее легко можно было передать.
Будущее	цивилизации	можно	описать		одной :фразой"компьютеры		и
изменения".	Причина проста, так		как	ЭВМ	могут работать	с	больши
количеством	информации	быстро	и	точно. Наш	космический век	был	бы

невозможен без компьютеров.

За минимально короткий срок компьютеры могут справляться с различными видами сложных работ, которые не может выполнить человек.

12D. PIONEER FOR AGE OF UNMANNED SHIPS

The super-automated tanker Seiko Maru sailed from Japan to the Persian Gulf. An electronic computer which was installed in the ship was fully utilized to ensure safety and save labour.

In the past, several ships with electronic computers had been built in Japan, but the scope of their automation had been confined only to cargo loading and unloading. Therefore, the Seiko Maru was the first ship that had been computerized on such a large scale.

It was said that among the many computerized programs prepared for the vessel was one for the prevention of collisions. In order to enable the ship to automatically avoid any dangerous object the computer was linked with radar and estimated the possibility of collision at all times.

There was also a program for fixing the ship's exact position. This was calculated on the basis of radio signals which were received from an artificial satellite now circling the earth along a polar orbit.

This had completely automated the work of fixing the ship's position, which had so far required much time and skill. Other programs included a cargo handling control program for automatic loading and unloading and an engine trouble emergency repair program which kept a constant watch on the operation of the engine section. If there

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was a trouble, it sounded an alarm and typed out instructions for repair.

All of these programs were handled by a single computer. Moreover, the crew did not need to have any expert knowledge of the computer. All they had to do was to press a limited number of buttons.

It was said that such automation enabled the number of crew to be more than halved to about 15 compared with a conventional ship of a smaller size.

Several types of ships had also joined the waterborne revolution. Highly automated supertankers more than a thousand feet long are sailing with crews of fewer than 30 men.

I. Translate the text using the dictionary.

II. Give the main idea in 2-3 sentences.

III. Make up a short plan of the text.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION. TEXT 12E

Listen to the text and decide what synonymous word was used in the text.

1.Electronics has made the processing of information quick and automatic.

2.Electronic devices respond very quickly to signals and take measurements and direct faults very precisely.

3.For instance, human worker can work in safe and congenial surroundings.

4.Digital computers have already shown themselves capable of doing routine office work.

I.Give the main idea of the text.

II. Render the text into Russian.

III. Retell the text.