Kerrison Predictor, one of the first fully automated anti-aircraft fire-control systems
By the late 1930s, both Vickers and Sperry had developed predictors for use against high altitude bombers.
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The Predictor's plans were passed to Sperry, who were just commencing production of their own complex high-altitude system, the M7 Computing Sight, and had no excess capacity to produce the new design as well.
Early attempts at motion control came about when John Whitney pioneered several motion techniques using old anti-aircraft analog computers (Kerrison Predictor) connected to servos to control the motion of lights and lit targets.
Kerrison Predictor | Sir Edward Kerrison, 2nd Baronet | Sir Edward Kerrison, 1st Baronet | Shane Kerrison | branch predictor |
In order to address this, the British introduced a complex mechanical analogue computer, the Kerrison Director, which drove the laying electrically.