Page 152 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

Hard Wiring
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Handshaking

hardware, or a control code in the programming. Hardware handshaking
is used when direct wire or cable links are possible, such as between a per-
sonal computer and a serial printer. Software handshaking is similar to the
process used for communications systems.
HARD WIRING
In a computer or autonomous robot, the term hard wiring refers to functions
that are built directly into the machine hardware. Hard wiring cannot be
changed without rearranging physical components,or changing the inter-
connecting wires. Sometimes, the expression firmware is used to mean
hard wiring, although technically that is a misuse of the term.
An ideal computer (that is, a computer with infinite processing power
and zero error rate, which can exist only in theory) could be programmed
to do anything without having to move a single physical component. Of
course, the components must be hooked up together somehow, but in
the ideal case, functions could be changed just by reprogramming the
machine. This has been realized to a large extent in recent years by the use
of high-speed, high-capacity data storage media.
Hard wiring does have some advantages over software control. Most
significant is the fact that hard-wired functions can be done at a higher

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