Career domains in computer science

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The knowledge developed by academic computer science (CS) is applied to various non-academic situations to arrive at systems that help humans perform tasks that were either out of their reach for being too complex or the tasks that are repetitive in nature. Techniques developed in CS and software engineering are being put to use in the following areas.

1 Domain listing [1]
2 References

[edit] Domain listing ^[1]

[edit] SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)

Automation of industrial manufacturing processes for better precision, optimal resource usage for production, better and consistent product yields, mechanical control in environments too hazardous for human operators.

How CS helps?

SCADA software products collect data (control parameters) from the sensors in the actual field. Based on this input and the control logic specified by a process engineers, certain actions are taken by manipulating certain preidentified controlled parameters to achieve the results desired by the manufacturing process. The software provides means to interface known as well as new data scanners, means to specify the control logic, GUI for human interactions and overall configuration of numerous control applications that could be developed using the software. Engineers from Computer Science stream have certain advantages - such as knowledge of internal architecture of microcontrollers as well as microprocessors. Knowledge of lower level programming languages like Assembly and higher level languages like C and C++, C#.

Challenges to consider

SCADA in control engineering has a long history of evolution. Training and getting work experience is not very easy in most of the countries.
Control Systems like Distributed Control System (DCS) also plays a major role in automation.
Knowledge of an array of various programmable logic controllers (PLCs), production processes, quality measures, communications protocols like Modbus, Profibus, CAN etc. is essential.
Most of the projects have to be implemented onsite at shop floor (factory floor). So travelling is an inevitable part of this career option.

[edit] Embedded systems

Any computing system that controls electronics hardware for delivering specific, predetermined results. Characteristics that distinguish embedded systems from the conventional workstation/ personal computers are:

most of these systems have restricted resources such as processor power and memory. These constraints impose stricter limitations on the way software could be written and debugged.
paradoxical requirements of real time performance for timely response for given limited resources. Delayed response by few seconds from an inventory management software would not matter as much as nanosecond response delays in an aeroplane flight control system.
once commissioned to a task they are designed for, they cannot be customized further to perform other tasks.
lack of a typical keyboard and a display monitor for the systems that do not need human intervention. For those that do need, there are alternate means of input (jog wheel on an iPod) and output (tiny LCDs on PDAs). They can be found in all forms--miniature form factors such as an iPOD, cell phone to as large as space shuttle control.

How CS helps?

Techniques of writing time and memory space efficient programs by employing low foot print data structures and algorithms.

Challenges to consider