2.2 Computer 
  
  
  
  
233 
This allows application software to be developed with the Planicomp for 
nearly all digitial picture processing applications both in realtime 
(parallax measurement, point correlation, point setting etc.) and for 
background operation after raster scanning (planar correlation, grey shade 
manipulation etc.). 
The major investigation targets in Stuttgart are point transfer. in aero- 
triangulation applications and structural deformation measurement. 
The Planicomp viewer has in the meantime also become available in another 
version with halogen lamp illumination and variable viewing magnification 
in a zoom range of 7.5x to 30x as an alternative to the fixed magnific- 
tion of 8x or 16x depending on the interchangeable eyepieces, the magni- 
fication range is 15x to 60x for special applications, which affords a 
resolution of 200 line pairs per mm and more in the image. 
À new optical interface is now available with both viewers which affords 
optional CRT display superimposition. This superimposition option is cur- 
rently being used for superimposing graphical line images during digital 
and interactive mapping (see section 2.3.4). 
New semiconductor components, processors and computers are being developed 
at an amazing rate. New products are introduced which are cheaper even 
though their performance is increased. This trend also applies to the 
Hewlett-Packard HP 1000 computers and thus to the Planicomp in general. 
In 1976, the Planicomp prototype was introduced with the M processor with 
32 K words and a 5 MB dual disc drive. After the E processor, the F pro- 
cessor with 128 K words and the 20 MB dual disc drive was used. In the 
future, the new HP 1000 A series computer models will be used. Their pro- 
cessors feature higher integration, i. e. more compact design and higher 
speed, and distributed 1/0 intelligence in the form of interfaces with 
separate processors. 
Within the A series, processors differing in processing power are offered 
under the designations A600+, A700 and A900. The essential performance 
data of these processors are compared with those of prior processors in 
the following table: 
Execution speed 50 1000 1000 1000 1000 13000 
(base instr., 1000 per sec.) 
Processing speed (floating-point 20 40 200 53 204 500 
instructions, 1000 per sec.)