Computer Controlled This logic board automatic tester is designed to test the computerized coin changer modules that are used in vending machines. It allows low-skill level field service personnel to test the modules easily. The computer-controlled tester uses a unique packaging scheme. The in-circuit test is performed with spring-loaded probes that are attached to […]
Downhole Tool Oil field downhole 3D seismic sensor with 24 bit resolution We developed a custom downhole tool for seismic sensing. The tool is lowered into an oil well to listen for seismic vibrations. The operator can gather seismic data and visualize the oil field near the tool. The drill bit can then be steered […]
Mirror Image The meter module works by measuring the rotational velocity of the electric meter’s Eddy current disk using a miniature laser beam source and optical detector. This information is converted into accumulated power consumption information which represents a “mirror image” of the electrical meter’s dials. . Low Cost The current design is embodied on […]
Voicebell This patented programmable doorbell system includes a doorbell control for connection in series with an existing doorbell pushbutton in a residential doorbell circuit. It utilizes a digital record/playback circuit to record an audible announcement by the occupant and store the recorded announcement as digital signals. An audible announcement is generated from the stored digital […]
J&J Glove Printer This large Surgical Glove company expanded its production capacity in the 1980s. They introduced a unique system involving thermocouples, ceramic pieces with drilled holes, batteries, radios, and innovative circuitry, all under the guidance of David Banks and Fred Beckhusen of Micro Technology Services Inc. (MTSI). https://mitsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Glove-printer-longer-movie.mp4 3D Glove Models Thermocouples, which are […]
Multi-lingual Multi-language staffing with live interpreters is costly and inefficient. Data reveals that the use of an interpreter is unpredictable from day-to-day. This makes staffing decisions of multi-lingual personnel difficult, impractical, and inefficient. This is further complicated by the fact that we live in an increasingly multilingual society. Risk Mitigation Instant interpretation is provided by […]
Laser Scanner Wand This innovative barcode reader goes in series with your keyboard. An inexpensive laser scanner wand is powered by the PC. Epic Data The product was designed for Lockheed Martin to use in their MRP system at three plants in California, the LM F-35 plant in Fort Worth and in Huntsville Alabama. […]
Epic Data This custom terminal was developed for Epic Data for Lockheed Martin.It has an Intel Pentium, touchscreen, a custom integrated bar code reader and badge reader. Sylogist Epic Data was acquired by Sylogist. “Epic Data was a very well-recognized software development, hardware design and support organization. Over the past three decades Epic Data has […]
Compaq Computer Corp The Automated System Marginer was developed for Compaq Computer Corporation. Four new stations recently went on line in their personal computer manufacturing and reliability analysis laboratories. Microsoft Windows is the operating system and user interface. The multi-tasking ability of Windows and ease of use were key reasons for the choice. […]
Dual SCSI Host Bus Adapter for EISA Interphase Corporation’s E/SCSI 4810 Barracuda is the intelligent, high-performance SCSI (Small Com- puter System Interface) host bus adapter for 32-bit EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) sys- tems requiring high data throughput and multiple drive storage. The 4810 may be configured with one or two full function, fully independent […]
Parole Monitoring A Dallas based company pioneered the newest alternative to prison sentences by using electronic monitoring at the home. Electronic probation is one solution to the overcrowding and expense of prison. The data from the monitoring devices was captured in a variety of computers using both MS-DOS and Unix operating systems. Different file […]
Automotive Burglar Alarm MTSI was asked to perform a technical audit of a new generation automotive burglar alarm for the Ford Taurus automobile. The client was behind schedule after a year of development, and could not meet their customers requirements. The client had already promised the Ford Motor Company that the new product would […]
Reverse Engineering Due to the deregulation of the telephone industry, our client had successfully reverse-engineered many of the cards originally produced by Western Electric for a SLC-96 T1 telephone system. However, several cards were extremely difficult to reverse engineer as they had many full-custom ICs, including a microprocessor, EPROM memory, and a pair of gate […]
Fred Beckhusen-Z80 Power-DRAM Test How does DRAM refresh itself? Z80 Test I wrote this DRAM test to test this program in 1979 and ran it on a 2.5 Mhz Z80. Threw the CPU and card cage in a temperature chamber and let it run all morning. It had some interesting and practical results. It turns off the […]
Z-80 Bug I discovered a real “bug” in the Z-80. Back in 1975, I was staring at a PDP-11 programming card late one night, (I have dozens of old programming cards from various CPUs) and noticed there is no documented addressing mode for 47, which is -@PC, or -(PC). They thought it was useless. It […]
Testing the Z80 Chip DRAM Test If you used a Z80 chip back in the 1980’s, it almost certainly passed through this room. This photo is of the first Fairchild Sentry 610 test system at Mostek. We tested every Z80 chip including Zilog branded ones in this room for many years. (photo from Mostek 1973 […]
HP-35 The HP-35 calculator was a huge sales success in 1972, the year I graduated from high school. There is a lot of information online today about this marvelous machine, but very little about how it was manufactured, or how it was tested. I wish I had know back then what I know today, because […]