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09.07

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... On Backscatter: The Unfathomable Internet (December 2006)

I was intrigued by this article as it addressed the problem of searching for relevant information. I was reminded of the difficulties of searching the IEEE digital library/Patent Database using keywords. Why not, I thought, search for "Control Diagrams" and "Circuit Diagrams"?

The inspiration behind this is as follows: After performing a thorough literature survey on my "invention" we decided to patent it. The patent attorney's first search yielded no matches and he proceeded further. After the second search he discovered there existed something similar.

This time-consuming process was a result of being forced to use text search to find circuit diagrams and control system diagrams — a very inefficient way to search for schematics. I am currently trying to explore a search algorithm to help designers and engineers have a bird's eye view of related literature (better than searching diagrams using text). Some sort of open, standardized, graphical description language derived from Berkeley SPICE Netlist might be used to describe schematics, flowcharts, and control diagrams.

I am interested in the opinions and ideas of others on this.

— Rahul Khopkar
IEEE Member
Nashua, New Hampshire

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...On Backscatter: More About Math (April 2007)

I recall having some pretty significant math difficulties in middle school some 45 years ago. My mechanical engineer dad, angry with my algebra teacher, pulled me from the Los Angeles school system and placed me in a private high school, whereupon my math skills improved. I finally "followed my genes" and became an engineer like my dad, and have been practicing in aerospace/defense since 1997.

My personal feeling about math is that even though my systems engineering work does not often call for me to work integrals or do differential equations, my mantra continues to be that math causes one to think through any problem logically and to keep at that problem. It's what I call "brain candy." Viewed another way, it's a right of passage along the road to becoming an engineer, and the passage is enjoyable and very challenging at times, but stepwise, steady progress in solving such problems teaches you tenacity, confidence, and a pride in work well done when you succeed.

— Joel K. Harris
IEEE Member
Westlake Village, California

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