Fiber Optics

[ImpalerWrG]

This is an idea for the extension of the logic system which currently uses only boolean logic.

I propose that a new type of data cable (fiber optics made from glass) be created and that it have the ability to carry a positive INTEGER

Fiber optic cable can be plugged into existing data input ports and any non zero value is considered active.

When plugged into the output ports of sensors which use a numerical setting the fiber optic reads the pressure/temp values.

New logic operators for Fiber optics (also built with glass) perform add, subtract, multiply and divide, decimal values are dropped  so a value < 1 becomes zero, the output of these of these structures can be read by a normal signal wire which is the equivalent of an if > 0 check.

An object called a Keypad can be created which allows the player to enter a number and have it read, changing the value requires a Dupe to key in the new value, like a switch currently works for Boolean signals.

[he77789]

Why integers not decimals? And why the comparison must be >0? Can't we have a gate for "normal data out = a>b input"? Can we do bitwise operations? Your system is really confining. The automation now is already turing complete. What to ask?

[ImpalerWrG]

Integers are the next level of complexity after Boolean in computer science.  In most languages any non zero value placed in an if statement will evaluate to true.  If you want to achieve a comparison between two values simply subtract b from a, if the result is 0 then it a was not greater (which is exactly how a computer actually calculates such a comparison)  Their may be logic operations I'm missing but most can be done with what I have described and if not I'm all in favor of expanding the set.

[he77789]

Ahhhhhh too much C++ & C# in me

[ImpalerWrG]

I'm a C++, Python, Java guy, never did C#

Note also that we should have normal automation wire able to be used as input to the new glass-gates.  Active is considered 1 and deactivated is 0, so with two automation wires feeding into an addition gate you get 0, 1, or 2 as an output and you need a fiber-optic wire to carry the value of 2.  With a series of such operations you can sum together any number of automation wires and see how many are active.

One of the areas I think this type of computation could be most useful is if combined with a pipe-flow measurement device.  You could sum together the measurements of different pipe flows and use it to regulate where the production or consumption of what ever is being moved about.

[he77789]

I am also Python, but less, and skimmed Java. I use C# in Unity.

IIRC ONI is also Unity

1 hour ago, ImpalerWrG said:

One of the areas I think this type of computation could be most useful is if combined with a pipe-flow measurement device.  You could sum together the measurements of different pipe flows and use it to regulate where the production or consumption of what ever is being moved about.

Yeah try have a device divide packets into half with a variable packet size.