Old Films and Science

When I was a boy (shortly after the dinosaurs left the planet for good), my Mom caught me settling in front of the TV, my math book, paper and pencil in hand.  Does anyone else remember math paper?  It was about half the size of a standard sheet and had the texture of newsprint.  I had a teacher that used to punish bad behavior by making a student hold a folded piece of math paper between his teeth.  Gross.   Don’t believe me?  Try it with a piece of the NY Times.  But I digress.  When Mom saw me with my math book in front of the TV, she said, You can’t do homework in front of the TV.  You can’t concentrate.  She said the same thing when she caught me writing a report for American History to the tune of The Theme from Peter Gunn on my stereo.  You can’t concentrate with music on.   Like any good father, I passed on my mother’s wisdom to my kids.   But I’m here to come clean today.  It’s not true.

Digital or Analog?

Digital – Expressed in discrete numerical form, especially for use or generated by a computer or other electronic device.  A digital image is made up of discrete color squares called pixels and the colors are defined by digital discrete numbers defining a finite set of colors.

Tiger Eye – digital painting using MATLAB©

Science and Art Too

There is a definite advantage to blogging as an avocation instead of a vocation.  If were blogging for money and I posted on a topic that received, let’s say, the underwhelming interest yesterday’s post, Science and Art, did, I’d feel obliged to find a more interesting topic.   But since Older Eyes is my avocation, I’m going to take another run at the same topic, hoping to convince you that there might be something worth seeing here.  Thinking back, yesterday’s post did start out with a somewhat technical description of how engineers use MATLAB.   And with no warning yet!  You may have been underwhelmed by my dancing rectangles.  But today, have I got some art for you!

Science and Art

Over the past few years, I’ve occasionally posted about my work as an engineer and in particular about a software product of Mathworks called MATLAB©.  MATLAB allows us to analyze, simulate and understand complex processing techniques such as those used in radar, sonar and communications systems.  It’s my experience that while almost any engineer can use MATLAB, a small percentage can work wonders with it.  Part of MATLAB’s power comes from its use of multi-dimensional arrays of numbers and most MATLAB wizards seem to be able to visualize things in higher dimensions.  Are you bored out of your gourd yet?  Stay with me.  This is fun, I promise.