FIDAC—Film input to digital automatic computer

摘要

The FIDAC is a high-speed flying-spot scanner for on-line input of digitized pictorial data into a computer's core memory. This paper describes the design of the FIDAC instrument, from original basic requirements to ultimate physical realization. The essential basic circuitry and the mechanical and optical systems of the FIDAC MOD I are described. The problems of achieving dynamic focus, light uniformity, and positional accuracy are discussed, and the methods used to solve these problems are given. The modifications incorporated into a later model, the FIDAC MOD II with a selective scan under computer control, are then described.