X-Message-Number: 8995
From: 
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 14:49:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Job Opening

                        JOB OPENING

* Background

Trans Time, Inc. is a service organization that places and
maintains patients in cryonic suspension after legal death in
hope of their future reanimation. We are located in San Leandro,
CA (near Oakland).

A cryonics patient is first perfused with cryoprotectants, then
cooled in stages to the temperature of dry ice (-79 degrees C).
Next we place the patient into a vacuum insulated cryogenic
dewar, and slowly add liquid nitrogen until the patient reaches 
-196 degrees C. We monitor the patient's temperature at several
body locations during this cooling. We control the rate of adding
liquid nitrogen to the dewar based on these body readings, in
such a way as to minimize thermal stresses within the patient.
 
We are developing a computerized system to control this last
phase of the cooldown.

* Job Description

1.  Do the programming to control the cooldown. This will require
setting up a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller.
We will use the software LabWindows/CVI from National
Instruments. This program has C as the underlying language, and
has many tools for automating the visual design of the cooldown
system, including PID tools. 

2.  Convert about 900 lines of current QuickBasic code to ANSI C.

3.  Run ongoing tests of the developing system, using a small
liquid nitrogen dewar to cool an instrumented sample such as a
chunk of beef.

* Job Requirements

1.  Command of programming in C.

2.  Enough knowledge of Basic to be able to convert QuickBasic to
C.

3.  Laboratory experience, such as with thermocouple
thermometers, relay boxes, and liquid nitrogen dewars, is
valuable.

* Hours

Hours are flexible. The job should take at least four man-months,
and could evolve into a full-time job.

* Compensation

Compensation is dependent upon qualifications and experience.

* Contact

Please send your resume to , or respond
to: 

Art Quaife, Ph.D., President
Trans Time, Inc.
3029 Teagarden St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
510-297-5577

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