ELECTRONICS& POWER 27 NOVEMBER 1975

1145

Electronics aids for the deaf and dumb

Communication is so much a part of our everyday life that it is easy to overlook the severe handicap facing people having disabilities that interfere with communication. The congenitally deaf, in particular, suffer from a 'knockon' effect in that, without hearing, it is not normally possible to learn to speak. A method of overcoming this particular problem is one of the topics to be discussed at a 1-day colloquium at Savoy Place on Friday, 5th December 1975, startingat 10.30 a.m.

Life and death in the ionospheres

Computer aids in software and system design

The rapidly expanding field of computer-aided design has made its impact mainly in the areas of physical design, e.g. printedcircuit-board layout, circuit simulation etc. Now, with the increasing complexity of large computer design, it is vital that computers be used to aid the design of the system and software. IEE Professional Group E2 (Computer design), in conjunction with the IERE, has organised a colloquium for Monday, 8th December 1975, at Savoy Place. The dual emphasis of the colloquium will be on computer aids to software and system design. Papers will be presented from both universities and industry (Manchester, Southampton, HeriotWatt, Brunei, RRE, ICL, GEC, SRDE and AWRE) and will discuss work in progress.

Demonstrations
A number of demonstrations are to be mounted, showing some of the ways in which electronics is being applied to the task of helping the deaf and dumb to overcome their communication problems. This promises to be a most interesting meeting; a large and lively audience is all that is needed to fulfil the promise! The colloquium, entitled 'Communication aids for the deaf and dumb', is being organised by IEE Professional Group C6 (Control aspects of biological and man/ machine systems). Further details are available from the Secretary, IEE, Savoy Place, London WC2R OBL, quoting the reference LS(G).
Prof. Boyd

Joint lEE/IMechE Summer Meeting in Edinburgh

Members wishing to participate in the joint IEE/IMechE Summer Meeting, to be held in Edinburgh during the week commencing Monday, 31st May 1976, are reminded that they should send in their application forms to the Secretary as soon as possible, and preferably not later than the 12th December 1975. Details, together with an application form, were published in the 13th November 1975 issue of Electronics & Power on p. 1083.

The 11th Appleton Lecture, entitled 'Ionospheres of dead stars and living galaxies', will be given by Prof. R. L. F. Boyd, director of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, at Savoy Place on Thursday, 8th January 1976. During the decade before the Second World War, the properties of the terrestrial ionosphere gave several hints that our Sun might be a significant source of soft X rays. This idea was reinforced by the extent of the solar corona as seen at eclipse suggesting a very high temperature, and was verified shortly after the war by instruments carried into the ionosphere on V-2 rockets. Since then the use of the X-ray spectrum has developed into a branch of experimental astronomy permitting the study of plasmas

associated with stellar and galactic systems having astonishing temperatures in the 10 6 -10 8 K range. Such ionospheres, unlike ours, require energies for their creation and maintenance which are often far beyond anything available from the nuclear furnace which powers the visible stars. This energy is usually mechanical and ultimately traceable to gravity. It is so great that it is not uncommon to find there plasmas radiating X-ray fluxes 10 000 times greater than the total output of our Sun. Prof. Boyd will discuss in the Appleton Lecture the spacecraft techniques used to open this new window on the universe and some of the celestial activity which is found to be going on. The lecture will start at 5.30p.m. (tea at 5).

Questions
The all-day colloquium will commence at 10.30 a.m. and provide an opportunity for questions and discussion; it is hoped that it will be especially helpful in view of the rapid advances taking place in this field. Further details are available from the Secretary, JEE, Savoy Place, London WCR OBL, quoting the reference LS(G).

OTHER IEE NEWS

Diary p.1148 'Optical-fibre communication' conference report . . . . p.1149 Candidates for election and p.1150 transfer Contents of 'Proceedings IEE'and 'Electronics Letters' . . p.1150 Feedback p.1151 Meetings roundup p.1152

A member thinks this column should be subtitled 'The continuing saga of Savoy Place'. Maybe 'The continuing saga of the CET would be more suitable just now! The most significant episode since I last wrote has been the disclosure of a rising in the Mechanical highlands. Some of you will already have seen references to it in the newspapers. You will recall that the Mechanicals, among others, supported the current reorganisation of the CEI in the belief that it would lead quickly to more radical reform. It seems that, when the facts became known, opinion began to grow among members of the Mechanicals, particularly in their local Branches and Student and Graduate Sections, that the agreed reorganisation would not lead quickly enough or far enough along the path they wished to follow. This evidently matched disillusionment felt by members of the IMechE Council when they saw

Chartered Engineers out of every five and include most of the Chartered Engineers in manufacturing industry, let alone those in the electricity-supply, telecommunication, broadcasting and land-transport services. The their confidence in the prospect of Mechanicals are therefore in a key rapid further change had been position. The direction in which they turn will have a profound misplaced. The result has been that the influence on the future organiCouncil of the IMechE has sation of our profession. Maybe we haven't heard the last published a statement to the effect that the IMechE could not of reform of the CEI after all! continue its policy of endeavour1 ended my last column with ing to influence affairs 'as a observations on some misleading member of CEI' if a majority in the statements that followed our CEI 'persisted in a rejection of [the notice of resignation from the CEI. Mechanicals'] fundamental re- Here is another. quirement . . .' This requirement is 'If the IEE leaves the CEI, its spelled out in a warning that, if the students preparing for the CEI reconstructed CEI were not to be examination will be left stranded.' allowed to move towards a Untrue. The CEI has agreed to our structure 'in which the individual continuing to use its examination. engineer, freely elected and However, the IEE Council is going unfettered, could have an effective to review the qualifications revoice in determining its policy and quired of Chartered Electrical its future, the IMechE would have Engineers. If, as a result, it decides to review its attitude towards to alter the requirements and supporting the new plan'. re-introduce an IEE examination, The CEI and the IEE can sufficient notice will be given to manage without each other, but it enable colleges and students to is difficult to see a future for a CEI adapt to the change. lacking two Institutions which, between them, account for two GEORGE GAINSBOROUGH