Programming Robots

A better way of controlling the robot consists of implementing a rudimentary higher level language described next. At this stage of the game you need to review your BASIC programming manuals so that you have a better feel for all the commands that are available to you and how they are to be used. I will demonstrate the rudiments of a very simple parsing scheme and you can extend this to create as sophisticated a program as you like within the context of using the BASIC language. (To do really serious programming you would use "C" or some other language designed to do such work.) What you can accomplish will also depend on the language that you have designed and going through this exercise will give you some insights into how to design a language that is easier to parse. It all ties together in the end!

The data file that the robot executes can come from a disk file read a line at a time or it can come from DATA statements like we had in the examples above. I will use DATA statements as already shown above for the sake of simplicity and because this allows us to do all our work from within the BASIC environment. This includes the editing of the program as DATA statements. These will constitute our program.

We are working towards using the higher language that we designed for the robot as a part of what we learned on language design from previous experience. Putting it as simply as possible... each DATA statement in the program contains a keyword and the arguments associated with that particular keyword. The program first reads the keyword and then branches to an area of the program designed to process that particular keyword. If for example the keyword is STAND the program jumps to the section of code that executes the STAND command. Here the program expects that there will be no arguments and brings the robot to a STAND position from whatever position the robot was in - in an orderly manner so that it does not fall over. Once that is done the program returns to the main thread of the program to read the next DATA statement and to continue on from there.

If the program reads a word in a DATA statement and it does not match any of the words in its vocabulary or the keyword is misspelled, it knows that an error has taken place and the program jumps to an area where the program is terminated. An error message is usually enunciated on the screen as a part of the termination process so that the operator knows what happened and can take corrective action. Depending on how the program is designed, rather sophisticated messages and even automatic recovery routines can be implemented. As the programming gets more complicated, more sophisticated error messages and other diagnostic techniques are needed to allow faster debugging.

What is presented is a very simple parsing scheme. Parsing can become quite sophisticated and is one of the more intriguing part of a programmer's art. Designing fast parsing code can be very complicated. When really fast operations are needed we use compilers. A compiler processes the entire program into more rapidly executable code by eliminating all unnecessary and time consuming processes. Surprisingly a compiled program is usually much longer than an un-compiled program for the same reason that "GO TO LONDON" is shorter than all the instructions that tell you how to get to London. (These longer instructions are however ready to be executed immediately upon reception, i.e. you do not have to go to the book store to purchase a map and puzzle the way to London out etc.)

What If Your Aircraft Simulator Is Wrong?

Aircraft Simulators are just that, they are devices which can simulate aircraft in flight. It's very wise to use these tools, as long as they are calibrated and programmed correctly, but what happens when they aren't? A simulation is not a real life event, by definition. Thus, we have a problem don't we - painstaking testing and complex programming. In the future we will have some competition with self-programmable artificial intelligence (AI). Let's talk.

In the future AI Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will learn, record, correct, and pass on that information to all other UAVs of that type. This will provide very accurate simulation devices to test the performance of certain maneuvers, best of all, you may not need simulators at all at that point, as you can rely on the UAV to correct without crashing even operating at the very edge of the envelope.

There is an interesting paper worthy of note, I'd like to use as exhibit A of my discussion here today, the research paper is: "Handling Qualities and Pilot Evaluation - 1984 Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics," by Robert P. Harper Jr. and George E. Cooper. In conclusion the researchers note amongst other things:

1. The increasing use of flight simulation, both groundbased and airborne, has enabled great strides to be made in understanding the nature of the pilot-vehicle dynamic system, and substantial quantities of handling qualities data has been generated.
2. Flight simulation is bringing increased opportunities as well as challenges for the test pilot to affect the design of modern aircraft.
3. For simulation results to be accurate and informative, the experiments must be meticulously planned and executed through.

Right, and thus, we really need test pilots, and we really need to spend extra time documenting everything they do, as it all matters, especially with high-performance aircraft. Every single little movement of the controls, and all of the outside weather conditions are paramount. That's a lot of data, often not so easily recorded for software databases which run our aircraft simulators.

It is quite possible for a pilot in a simulator to try something during an extremely challenging incident to save or recover the aircraft that the simulator has never been programmed for, thus, we have no real concept of what the final outcome would be - well, we have an idea, but who says it's accurate at that point, no one has ever done that with an aircraft of that type in the real world, the place where real pilots, (future unmanned systems), and real aircraft will fly, or not? Please consider all this and think on it.

3 Ways to Ensure Successful Mobile Application Development

Considering the increasing technological advancement, businesses are pacing to address the demand for mobile apps. Employees and consumers use their smartphones and tablets almost all the time, so the companies are constantly working to release mobile apps to better serve their workers and customers. Some companies speed up mobile application development to make an app just too quickly, which eventually requires them to them perform updates as and when needed by the clients. Below is a list of things you can do to avoid pushing out a mobile application too soon:

1. Devise a plan for mobile application
The biggest dilemma faced by most companies is that they don't exactly know what they really want. Before releasing a mobile app, it is important to have concrete plans and a defined goal of the application. You must decide metrics to measure its success and how it will facilitate the users. Experts recommend that companies should prepare a comprehensive roadmap of a step of actions, their appropriate time of occurrence and the cost for each.

According to Forrester's study, on average, the design and development costs range from $200,000 to $350,000; so, the money needs to be carefully expended. Also, let there be extensions into the timeline of the plan. Do a detailed research about users and their dynamics because eventually they will be the direct users and expectantly benefitting from the application. Define what you want, collect feedback from customers and know what exactly you are aiming with mobile application development.

2. Choose between outsourcing or staying in-house
Companies should carefully evaluate whether app should be outsourced to a development company or freelance developers, or be done in-house. It is easier for large companies to manage resources for full-time in-house mobile app developers because of the large size of IT department, quite often complemented with a number of mobile apps and a very strong online presence.

According to a senior analyst at Forrester Research, appointing an internal IT person for mobile application development depends more on software development experience. Most often, it is quite hard to choose that one person with design and development skills, who is able to manage an entire project. Based on latest Forrester study, only 17% of IT decision makers realize the significance of hiring IT persons with mobile app development skills this year.

When considering contracting an agency, find companies that fit the size of your organization. Generally, big companies go with big agencies and mid-sized companies may go with smaller consultants Search thoroughly online for agencies in your area and know their achievements and experience. You could ask for evidence of the agency's past work, as a sample to have a fair idea if their work matches your requirements.

Finally, make sure to find out how the agency has integrated mobile applications with current software systems or lifecycle management systems for previous clients and how they plan to do it for you.

3. Perform testing and get user feedback
Testing and feedback are two of the most important aspects to mobile application development because developers and designers would not be the actual product users. At the end of producing each artifact, programmers should immerse themselves in the app, to identify what users will appreciate and disapprove about it.

5 Basic Principles of IT Consulting

The great availability of IT solutions and the variety of software tools available to businesses nowadays has made the IT consultant profession essential and much sought after. A good information technology consultant offers the know-how and the experience necessary to help customers devise the best possible IT infrastructure for their needs.

Technical ability, however, is not the only requisite that IT consulting professionals need to have in order to provide the best possible customer service. He or she also has to have the interpersonal and listening skills necessary to understand what clients really need and not only what they want. These professional needs to be able to guide and counsel the customer through the wide range of products available on the business technology market. They are the advisors to help clients decide on what is essential to take its business to the next level.

The objective is to make sure that clients do get what they want as long as it makes sense for their operations and it is also what the business really needs. This is central to create a system that can really aid the growth of the business while still remaining cost-effective and user-friendly.

Knowing that the consultant has been hired to help the client overcome a particular problem and make recommend a solution, specific consulting approaches do, however, vary. That is to say that consulting styles are obviously different from professional to professional. On that note, here are five basic principles that guide the daily work of all good IT consultants; they are covered next.

The first essential principle of IT consulting is "focus on relationship." It is essential to build a proper and open relationship not only with the client but also with all stakeholders. This is important to keep an open dialogue that can help the IT consultant become aware of the real needs of a business beyond the wants and requests of the client. By fully understanding the requirements of the job to be performed and the limitations and constraints that are currently present, the professional can better advise and provide guidance through the number of choices that the client will inevitably need to make. The result is an infrastructure tailored to the specific needs of a business in terms of operational needs, users' capacity and budget.

The second principle to be applied is "definition of roles." Through the proper applying of the first principle, the IT consulting professional can also clearly understand the roles of all parties in the client's organization. At the same time the professional can clarify his or her role as an advisor and set boundaries. It is also important for clients and stakeholder as well to have clearly-defined active roles; but it will be the client who ought to make it clear who is responsible for which decisions in all phases of the project.

The third important principle is "success visualization." This principle is much linked to the communication skills of the IT consultant who needs to be able to help clients visualize the end result while still in the planning phase. This step is important in many different ways: It helps the professional manage clients' expectations, but it also allows them to visualize what the system will look like in the end and think of any modifications and/or additions, including modifications that could make its use more effective or just easier.

The fourth principle is a tough one to implement as it taps into the capability of the IT professional to step down and let the client keep full control of the decision-making process: "you advise, they decide." It is the clients' role, since they know the company and their job best, to make most of the decisions regarding the new system to be implemented. The IT consultants can advise and propose what is most likely the best possible technical solution for a business according to his or her observation; in reality, however, clients will have to live with the system so it is in their right to make the important planning decisions: After all, they know what they want/need; moreover, they know their budget and the company staff is capable of when it comes to using technology.

The fifth principle of good IT consulting is "orientation toward results." This might sound like an obvious principle, but it sometimes does not happen. Therefore, it is important to always remember that all actions and decisions must contribute to the expected final result. The IT consultant needs to be able to advise on all possible technical solutions as well as training and support needed to reach the stated goal of the IT implementation.

As one can visualize, there is much to know about becoming a good IT consultant. The five principles mentioned are sure to encourage many more valued ones in the future.

Essentially, a good IT consultant is one that is a good listener and open-minded to each clients' unique needs. They are able to face obstacles and technical challenges while making plans for any IT implementation or solution. With Innovative Architects, an information technology consulting firm, for example, clients have this experience. This firm is ready to provide technology consulting excellence at any time for any size business.

How to Create LMS With Drupal

Well, you may be aware of the special attributes of Drupal. It is a set of modules, which act collaboratively to perform the necessary actions on a website. It has earned a positive recognition as an excellent open source web content management system. Due to its open source nature, you can use this CMS tool without paying anything to anyone. Hence, you can use this CMS tool for your learning management system. However, you should make a fair assessment of your institutional requirements before selecting any CMS tool. It will help you in creating a great website for your school.

Understand Your Institutional Requirements

At first, you are required to write a synopsis of your learning management system. In this way, you can understand that your learning management system should fulfill the management related needs of your business organization. Moreover, your learning management system should also improve the efficiency of your teaching staff as well as students. Furthermore, it should infuse the scalability in your school management practices. In this way, you should go with PHP based CMS tool because PHP is a customizable programming language. Thus, your PHP using tool will give enough scope for customization.

Go With Drupal

There are multiple CMS tools available, which use PHP as programming language but Drupal is the most customizable open source CMS tool. Thus, you should use this tool. You can choose any module from its vast module library to enable any needful feature in your learning management system.

Hire Prestigious Developers

However, school administrators do not hire professional web developers to save the money. It is a wrong approach. The success of your learning management system depends on the proper development and unique functionalities. In case, your LMS is not fulfilling your purpose then all of your money will go in vain.

Take Part in Development

It is needful to take part in the development of your learning management system. Technically, your developer is like a blind sculpture artist, who requires enough guidance and indications to create something extraordinary. Therefore, you should convey all the requirements of your school. In this way, you can ask your developer to create user registration facility in your LMS. It will help your staff members to work collaboratively for saving time and efforts. The information will flow in your school network. Moreover, you can also let the parents of your students register at your website to keep a tab on their children's performance. It will improve your relations with the parents of your students.

Test Your Site before Launch

It is true that you are not going to interact with customers with your school LMS but you should not launch your store before the professional testing of your site. The proper testing will leave no scope for any technical failure and information leakage from your website.

After completing the development and testing phase of your learning management system, you should give product training to your school's administration and teaching staff for making the most from your LMS. It will increase the efficiency of your school.

New iPhone Apps: A Wish Come True for Lawyers

Constantly running from one meeting to another with clients and business associates, while on the look-out for various other cases with individuals and big corporate companies, a lawyer is forever busy. The one thing that the lawyer community could really do with would be for great new apps for the iPhone that strive to assist them and make some breathing space in their professional life.

Some of the popular new iPhone apps for lawyers include:

• Court Days App: A lawyer is after all only human, and so to forget certain dates and times of meetings and cases especially if he/she is associated with more than one jurisdiction is but natural. However, with new apps such as Court Days to the rescue, lawyers can always stay up-to-date about their various case dates and meetings by logging the information into this virtual diary. The app also strives to count the days left between each court date, constantly reminding the user that the d-day is coming closer.


• BARBRI App: This app is not only for lawyers, but also for law students looking to either go through an important case or appearing for their BAR exams. With such interesting new apps, users can go through the app's enormous database and search for cases pertaining to their situation or even review notes. This app also boasts of a particular feature called the BARBRI challenge, where the user that takes it is constantly reminded as to how well he/she is acquainted with the subject of law.


• Black's Law Dictionary App: Legal jargon is what lawyers are really good at. But at some point or the other even the best of the best can be left speechless. This app is made for such moments and more. With over 43,000 definitions and many more quotes and data, this app never lets you down, especially when you're required to show-off your skills in the courtroom.


• Wikipanion App: This new app directly links you to Wikipedia for last minute reference to cases and certain terms and agreements. It's not only good for litigators, but exceptionally useful for the common man as well.


• NetNewsWire App: World and local news is a must for every individual, especially for lawyers, as keeping up with the latest happenings around the world is an added advantage. With such new apps you can do exactly that and much more. NetNewsWire directly links users to all the blogs and information on the internet regarding a particular news item, thus giving one a variety of perspectives. Articles can also be marked and kept for later reference.

Top 5 Tips for Android App Development

Android is the most dynamic operating system of the recent times. Being an open source, it has made it easier for the users to customize and bring out newer versions of this OS. According to statistics, Android has usurped up more than 70% of market share of the mobile users and this number is growing every day.

Another salient and most talked about feature of the Android OS is the number of applications that it has to offer. It comes a close second to Apple, with almost 500k of applications and games in play store. There are thousands of Android developers who are toiling hard to come up with newer applications and games and earn a livelihood out of it.

If you are a budding Android App Developer, you could make use of the following tips and tricks that would not only make your application stand out but also make it appeal to a large number of users.

Embrace Languages

C, C++, Java, SQL etc., are a few of the language on which Android OS is based. If you are an Android developer you would need to make these languages your best friends for coming years. Without adequate knowledge of these languages it is very difficult to make good quality apps that are easy to understand and are stable in operations.

Give app layout its due

In this era, packaging is everything. People might not even want to look at finest berries if they are packed in a shabby way. Similarly, no matter how good or useful your app is, if it is no good to look at, the color scheme used is in bad taste or need technical expertise to operate, you would hardly get any buyers. If you check reviews by users, you would realize it. A user wants to have an app that is easy to operate and pleasant to the eye. So make sure that your app attributes both to aesthetic and utility.

Don't go overboard

If you are newbie, avoid going over the top in terms of creativity. Though creativity and innovation are always welcome but try to keep it simple and error free. An excessively cluttered code is app killer as not only it would make the app slower but it would also make it full of flaws. It also becomes difficult to pinpoint the mistake. So, creativity & novelty should be within limits of easy detection of error, if any.

Use user's experience as your primary motivation

As an Android app developer your primary focus should be catering to user's needs and deliver your app around it. Making an app with user friendly interface and making that interface a delightful experience should be the main concern of any developer. The app should be easy to operate, bug free and should deliver in terms of utility even if it is means the entertainment value of the same.

Understand your audience

Much like any other product that is launched in the market, you would need to connect with your audience keeping its likes and dislikes into consideration while developing an app. While it is good to go with the instinct and creative ideas, developing an app around users' needs would make it a sure shot hit. Think yourself as a user and remember what as a user had delighted or put you off the app and use this experience to develop & design an app.

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Common PC Computer Problems

Anyone who has to use a PC at work has certainly run into computer problems. From simple lockups and freezes to more serious issues including a dead power supply and crashed hard drive the list of computer errors is almost endless. Some of these problems can be easily fixed by shutting down and restarting the system but other will require the skill and technical know-how of a professional computer repair specialist. Before you reach for the phone to call in IT support take a moment to review some of the more common computer problems and see if you might be able to fix the problem yourself. If the problem is more widespread, such as malware or a virus then you will want to shut down your system and get professional help.

People like to think computers are magic and will always work. However, these are intricate machines and when you have circuit boards, memory chips, software programs and applications loaded up its very easy for systems t experience errors and malfunctions. Some of the most common problems include slow performance, strange whirring noises, screen freezes and programs that are not responding. Again, many of these issues are temporary and can be cleared with a simple reboot but if the problems are recurring and preventing you from finishing your work there may be a more serious error occurring.

When people refer to computer problems they are more often referring to problems with the internet. The majority of work being done on PC's is through the use of the internet and workers need to remember that the more browsers you have open the more power it is taking. It's not unusual for someone at work to open several browsers at once and when this happens the computer is most likely going to slow down. Keeping an eye on your internet activity and closing sites and tabs you are not using often will free up your system and return your computer's speed to its normal level.

Unfortunately one common problem isn't so easily fixed. Unknowingly thousands of PC users download viruses and malware everyday and don't know about it until the system crashes. Opening emails from people you don't know, visiting suspicious websites and clicking on links you do not recognize are all tricks hackers use to get a virus into your system. Being alert while using email is very important since your system is probably networked to the rest of the office and a virus that gets into your system can easily spread to the server and affect everyone's machines. Be smart when using your PC and if you encounter any problems that you don't feel comfortable trying to troubleshoot contact a trusted IT solutions company to help resolve your computer problem.

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How to Protect Yourself From Laptop Larceny

Laptops are more than just a gadget to most users. More often than not laptops will contain passwords, addresses, banking and credit card numbers and personal information. If a laptop is stolen, it won't take a smart thief long to break into the account and gain access to personal and important information.

According to LoJack, two million laptops are stolen each year and as computing devices get smaller that number will get bigger. While you may not always get your computer back, there are some steps you can take to decrease the damage done.

Be Proactive

It sounds simple, but always be mindful of your computer. Don't leave it on the table while you refill your coffee and don't leave it unattended in your car or office. Most thieves commit crimes of opportunity, so don't give them one.

Also, consider installing a theft protection feature. Lenovo offers ConstantSecure Remote Disable for their new ThinkPad tablet pc models. If your laptop is stolen you can send a text message to the laptop disabling it. The unit will power down completely and will not restart until a re-activation key is entered. While this won't protect your hardware investment, it will protect your information from thieves interested in more than wiping the hard drive and selling your laptop.

You can also invest in recovery software. Companies like ComputraceComplete and PCPhoneHome can be purchased for $30 to 50 a year and offer you a chance at getting your laptop back. These companies connect your laptop periodically to a main server. When this happens the agency can tell you exactly where your laptop is and notify the police to recover it.

Damage Control

Once you realize your laptop is missing contact the police and file a report noting the model and serial number. Go through all your accounts and change passwords. Create new high protection passwords (containing numbers, letters and symbols) quickly, before the thief beats you to it and locks you out of your accounts.

Keep an eye on your bank accounts and let your bank and credit card companies know that your information may have been stolen so they can issue a fraud alert and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity.

Losing a laptop is hard but fighting identity theft is harder. Take the proper steps to protect yourself and your information. If the worse happens, stay calm and take the time to perform damage control. It may not give you back your laptop but it may give you a little piece of mind.