Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the operation of machinery, processes, and factories. It can be achieved through mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electronic, and computer-controlled systems. The Delhi Metro uses various automated control systems for train operation, fare collection, security cameras, and signaling. Modern cars also have digitally controlled engines managed by an onboard computer called the engine control unit (ECU) that optimizes performance and emissions using data from multiple sensors.

1. Computer Assisted Control and
Automation

2. What is Automation?
Automation or automatic control, is the use of various control
systems for operating equipment such as
 machinery,
 processes in factories,
 boilers and heat treating ovens,
 switching in telephone networks,
 steering and stabilization of ships &aircraft and other
applications with minimal or reduced human intervention.
Some processes have been completely automated.
The biggest benefit of automation is that it saves labor,
however, it is also used to save energy and materials and
to improve quality, accuracy and precision.

3. How is Automation Achieved?
Automation is achieved by various
means including mechanical,
hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical,
electronic and computers, usually in
combination.
Complicated systems, such as
modern factories, airplanes and ships
typically use all these combined
techniques.

4. Delhi Metro Automation
Signalling and communications
The trains use
 centralised automatic train control (CATC)
comprising
 automatic train operation (ATO),
 automatic train protection (ATP) and
 automatic train signalling (ATS) systems.
Intercoms are provided for emergency
communication between the passengers and the
driver in each coach, and on-train
announcements are in Hindi and English.

5. Delhi Metro Automation
There are also route maps and LCD display
systems in every coach.
Fare collection is through contactless,
stored-value smartcards.
Security is supported by about 5,200 CCTV
cameras at stations.
The electronic interlocking, operation and
automation control systems for the third line
are supplied by Siemens Transportation
Systems

6. Digitally Controlled Car Engines
Controlling the engine is the most processor-intensive
job on your car, and the engine control unit(ECU) is
the most powerful computer.
The ECU uses closed-loop control, a control scheme
that monitors outputs of a system to control the inputs
to a system, managing the emissions and fuel economy
of the engine (as well as a host of other parameters).
Gathering data from dozens of different sensors, the
ECU knows everything from the coolant temperature to
the amount of oxygen in the exhaust on most cars.

7. With this data, it performs millions of
calculations each second, including looking up
values in tables, calculating the results of long
equations to decide on the best spark
timing and determining how long the fuel
injector is open.
The ECU does all of this to ensure the lowest
emissions and best mileage.
A modern ECU might contain a 32-bit, 40-MHz
processor.
The code in an average ECU takes up less
than 1 megabyte(MB) of memory.

8. Digitally Controlled Car Engines
The computer from a Ford Ranger
The pins on this connecter
interface with sensors and
control devices all over the
car.

9. Biometric access control
Biometric access control is the science and technology
of the business as it relates to analyzing biological data
as a means to control access.
Biometric access control features can measure various
human characteristics like a person’s fingerprint, their
eye retinas and irises, their vocal patterns, facial
shapes and hand measurements.
Biometric access control is very effective at promoting
security within professional companies, as it would be
anywhere from extremely difficult to impossible to fake a
biological imprint.

10. RFID Access Control
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is the use of
radio waves to read and capture information stored
on a tag attached to an object. A tag can be read from
up to several feet away and does not need to be
within direct line-of-sight of the reader to be tracked.
Most organizations today require a performing and
efficient access control system. There are many
reasons for having such a system and these include:
1) Enhanced security to limit access to restricted
areas,
2) Tracking employee activity,
3) Improve loss prevention and
4) Compliance to higher internal or government
regulated security measures

11. A Few Definitions

12. Open-source software
Open-source software (OSS)
is computer software with its source
code made available with a license in
which thecopyright holder provides the
rights to study, change and distribute
the software to anyone and for any
purpose.

13. Open source hardware
Hardware design (i.e. mechanical
drawings, schematics, bills of
material, PCB layout
data, HDL source code and integrated
circuit layout data), in addition to the
software thatdrives the hardware, are
all released with the OSH approach.

14. Open Source Storage
Open source storage is the phrase
used to describe any storage system
based on open source platforms or
technologies.
Examples of open source storage
software include The FreeNAS
Project, OpenStack, Lustre, OpenAFS
, andOpenfiler.