To read this content please select one of the options below:

On the scientific importance of the multivibrator

Emanuel Gluskin (Department of Engineering, Ruppin Academic Center, Emek Hefer, Israel)

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering

ISSN: 0332-1649

Article publication date: 8 March 2021

Issue publication date: 7 July 2021

163

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present some “natural philosophy” that may be associated with multivibrator. The motivation is given by the exposition work (Mathis, 2019) of Wolfgang Mathis.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering the multivibrator’s states as a realization of Boolean Logic, the author discusses the logical basics in the scope of physical realization, and Brouwer’s concern regarding the “tertium non datur” principle.

Findings

A mechanical multivibrator with Coulomb friction is treated to enrich the standard set of the traditional examples. The associated energy analysis lies on the border of Newton’s and Lagrangian’s mechanics.

Research limitations/implications

It is the author’s own work. The author is limited by his modest abilities, given to him by the Great Lord.

Practical implications

Teaching and improving engineering understanding of the oscillatory systems.

Originality/value

Together with Mathis (2019), the present paper outlines the topic of multivibrator as a field having significant heuristic and pedagogical value.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Besides the mentioned Referee, the author is grateful to Wolfgang Mathis, for references Mathis (2019) and Zemanek (1991), reading the initial version of the text and his kind and encouraging attention to the author, during already many years.

Citation

Gluskin, E. (2021), "On the scientific importance of the multivibrator", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 280-288. https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-05-2020-0194

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles