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0 pointsdjokkataja17d ago0 comments

This reminds me of a gem of a comment from about a month back, about a dead simple Russian guidance system from a Cold War-era missile: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47389285

Actually, someone even commented in that thread about how it was similar to biological mechanisms: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47390619

0 comments

kranner17d ago

For explorations of simple mechanisms like this leading to complex behaviour, Valentino Braitenberg’s book Vehicles is a classic.

dreamcompiler16d ago

Seconded. This book enlarged my brain.

bryancoxwell17d ago

Would it do well on a Kindle or does it rely on illustrations?

kranner17d ago

Definitely relies on illustrations.

The author passed away 15 years ago so I will mention the PDF of the book shows up in the first few search results on Google.

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sandworm10117d ago

Simple spin-scan but with a rolling airframe. The technique is still used today. It is simple only if one looks at individual components. The total package is a different beast.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIM-116_Rolling_Airframe_Missi...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

kranner17d ago

For explorations of simple mechanisms like this leading to complex behaviour, Valentino Braitenberg’s book Vehicles is a classic.

dreamcompiler16d ago

Seconded. This book enlarged my brain.

bryancoxwell17d ago

Would it do well on a Kindle or does it rely on illustrations?

kranner17d ago

Definitely relies on illustrations.

The author passed away 15 years ago so I will mention the PDF of the book shows up in the first few search results on Google.

1 more reply

sandworm10117d ago

Simple spin-scan but with a rolling airframe. The technique is still used today. It is simple only if one looks at individual components. The total package is a different beast.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIM-116_Rolling_Airframe_Missi...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse