Programmable Ruler Keeps 1970’s Computing Alive






23 thoughts on “Programmable Ruler Keeps 1970’s Computing Alive

  1. Add bluetooth or wifi and add some measurement capabilities then maybe something useful to dump figures into a spreadsheet/database. Not even hex display and hex keyboard. Well in thirty years or so can glue a PI to a tape ruler. That should sell.

      1. Like the average modern tablet? Oh hell no. Thats at least three gen away from this project . lmao. Better digitizers use RF pens. More of RF meter than magnetometer. Mince. Was thinking Vernier caliper and some encoding like a cheap digital caliper at horrofreight but with maybe EiA232 over IR or something equally archaic to transmit data to VisiCalc spreadaheet. Ha.. I was reaching too far futuristic with WiFI or BT.

  2. I’d like to see a light sensor like a LDR or opto sensor so you can use a web interface to write programs and have some Javascript flash a square on the screen to upload code to the digirule.

    I bought a digirule (1) and was going to re-code it but I ended up giving it away. I am not that keen on the PIC.

    1. I mean no disrespect, but as an amateur geek when it comes to the rule, as well as rulers, I wanted to point out that there IS an exception to that, lol. (one of my prized possessions is a Stanley No 88 Four-fold Rule) According to the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam Webster, among others, the second definition of the noun “ruler” is:

      “A straight strip or cylinder of plastic, wood, metal, or other rigid material, typically marked at regular intervals and used to draw straight lines or measure distances.”

      The middle English origin of the word is from the old French noun of “reule” which as a verb is “reuler”, essentially the act of using a measuring stick.

      So, yes, a measuring device can be called a rule, (4th definition of the word rule), but within the last ~50 years this type of device is more commonly referred to as a ruler.

  3. While inserting a computer into a ruler is all very cool, I feel you’ve given the advancements of rulers a bum rap. E.g. Slide rulers, folding rulers, collapsible rulers, rulers than can measure angles or logarithms, or even protractors!

  4. I want to see someone make a digital slide rule out of absolute position digital calipers. Then make several of them for props in a movie of Hal Clement’s “Mission of Gravity”.

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