Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
harmless disturbances
English answer:
these detectors can be programmed to ignore harmless disturbances
Added to glossary by
Charles Davis
Mar 11, 2016 00:39
8 yrs ago
English term
harmless disturbances
Non-PRO
English
Other
Engineering (general)
The expression of "harmless disturbances" makes me confused.
If it is harmless, actually it doesn't have to be suppressed.
Do you think that it means something people cannot detect or see at an early stage, but later may cause harm to people?
Any idea can help me. Thank you in advance!
"...By using the detectors that can withstand the tough environment of a road tunnel, a unique
solution arises where fire can be detected at an early stage while at the same time known,
harmless disturbances can be suppressed."
The article is also saying at the begining that
"...In addition there are gases, which the human nose cannot detect.
The recognition of such substances, however, plays a special role in the assessment of
situations and processes."
If it is harmless, actually it doesn't have to be suppressed.
Do you think that it means something people cannot detect or see at an early stage, but later may cause harm to people?
Any idea can help me. Thank you in advance!
"...By using the detectors that can withstand the tough environment of a road tunnel, a unique
solution arises where fire can be detected at an early stage while at the same time known,
harmless disturbances can be suppressed."
The article is also saying at the begining that
"...In addition there are gases, which the human nose cannot detect.
The recognition of such substances, however, plays a special role in the assessment of
situations and processes."
Change log
Mar 18, 2016 01:47: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Responses
+5
45 mins
Selected
these detectors can be programmed to ignore harmless disturbances
I have looked up the study from which this comes. It refers to a type of detector known as an "electronic nose", with sensors that can detect the chemical composition of the surrounding air and respond by giving the alarm when that composition suddenly changes, as it does in the early stages of a fire.
However, it would be a nuisance if the detectors gave a lot of "false positives"; that is, if they sounded the alarm when there is no fire. Therefore they are programmed to recognise composition patterns associated with known harmless changes that can occur and that do not indicate a fire. These are the "harmless disturbances"; "harmless" means what it says (they will do no harm) and "disturbances" means changes in the chemical composition of the air, and the events that cause such changes.
So it doesn't literally mean that the disturbances are suppressed; it means that the detector's response to disturbances is suppressed if they are of a harmless kind.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2016-03-11 07:40:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I should have emphasised that it says "known harmless disturbances". This refers to events that are known to occur and whose chemical profile is therefore known. The detector can be prepared to "ignore" these; its response can be suppressed when it detects their chemical profile. Of course, an unknown harmless disturbance could occur: an unexpected event for whose chemical profile the detector is not prepared but which may nevertheless be harmless and not indicate a fire. In those cases the response will not be suppressed and the detector will trigger the alarm, causing a false positive. However, these can be kept to a minimum.
However, it would be a nuisance if the detectors gave a lot of "false positives"; that is, if they sounded the alarm when there is no fire. Therefore they are programmed to recognise composition patterns associated with known harmless changes that can occur and that do not indicate a fire. These are the "harmless disturbances"; "harmless" means what it says (they will do no harm) and "disturbances" means changes in the chemical composition of the air, and the events that cause such changes.
So it doesn't literally mean that the disturbances are suppressed; it means that the detector's response to disturbances is suppressed if they are of a harmless kind.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2016-03-11 07:40:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I should have emphasised that it says "known harmless disturbances". This refers to events that are known to occur and whose chemical profile is therefore known. The detector can be prepared to "ignore" these; its response can be suppressed when it detects their chemical profile. Of course, an unknown harmless disturbance could occur: an unexpected event for whose chemical profile the detector is not prepared but which may nevertheless be harmless and not indicate a fire. In those cases the response will not be suppressed and the detector will trigger the alarm, causing a false positive. However, these can be kept to a minimum.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for the detailed explanation. You always help me a lot. I appreciate it!"
Something went wrong...