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Goliath Research Academy
In High School, David loved Mathematics (even more than Physics) and became the first self-taught winner of the National Math Award.
Instead of making a career in Mathematics, he decided to become a Computer Scientist. At the time, many writers foresaw a future where everything will be running under computer control (and their programs). He wanted to write the programs (he was young and naive).
The '80s were exciting times. It was possible to use old technology like the IBM-360 mainframe, the TI-990 minicomputer, the successful PDP-8, their big brother PDP-11, the first 8-bit microprocessors (for end-user computers and embedded applications), up to the modern IBM-PC.
David had the opportunity of knowing most of the modern history of computing, used punched cards, magnetic tapes, ASCII 8-channel perforated tapes, Murray 5-channel perforated tapes, 8" floppy disks, 51/4" floppy disks, 3.5" floppy disks, Commodore magnetic audio tapes, old and new, rapidly evolving technology.
Most important than seeing history in the making, after studying Computer Science for Control (Mathematical Cybernetics), David started applying that knowledge to model and optimize several processes in a few factories. As it happens, computers were available, but they lacked the software for most of those tasks.
It was a marvelous time! David had to create all kind of tools from scratch:
  • Regression Analysis
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Experimental Design
  • Discriminant Analysis
  • Clustering
  • Statistical Distributions
  • Sampling
  • Optimization (Linear and non-linear)
  • Dynamic Programming
  • Databases, interpreters, Numerical libraries
In 1991, while supporting a CERN research project, David added to his toolbox the first neural network, the multi-layer perceptron (MLP). After trying to train it (minimize the model errors) using Newton-Raphson (named backpropagation in the industry), David used the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell optimization method and reduced training time (on a computer with an 80386SX processor).
A few years later, software became available for anything (SPSS, SAS, Mathematica, Matlab, and many others).
The microprocessor's success jump-started data-logging and closed-loop control industrial applications. David started programming the Intel 8080 and Zilog Z-80 with Pascal and quickly moved to C. David's dream became a reality. It was finally possible to control reality with computers and programs.
During the next years, David worked on solutions for:
  • Electronic Security
  • Video Surveillance (including a few video analytics)
  • Integrated Access Control of multiple vendors by using the cloud as the meeting point
  • ERP applications
  • System Integration for rockets
  • Freight train control
  • Passenger train control
  • System Integration for small satellites
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