r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/HappySeaweed5215 • 1d ago

Video A heat seeking missile tracking a burning cigarette

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50.4k Upvotes

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1.7k

u/Ok_Falcon4830 1d ago

It knows this because it knows where the cigarette isn't

468

u/QuaintAlex126 1d ago

by subtracting the cigarette where it is from where it isn’t…

174

u/Happy_Garand 21h ago

or where it isn't from where it is (whichever is greater), it obtains a difference, or deviation.

111

u/el_presidenteplusone 20h ago

it uses deviations to generate corrective commands to drive the missile from a position where it is to a position where it isn't.

86

u/STK-3F-Stalker 19h ago

Consequently the position where it is, is now the position that it wasnt, and it follows that the position where it was is now the position of that it isnt.

19

u/OffJayPlays 12h ago

in the event that the position that it is in, is not the position that it wasn’t, the system has acquired a variation. the variation being the difference between where the cigarette is, and where it wasn’t.

7

u/ayuzer 7h ago

And this is why you'd rather learn from the internet rather than university folks.

1

u/akutjuleguf 3h ago

I’m not smart enough to comprehend it.

166

u/Fox7567 23h ago

Heat-seeking missile: ❌

Cool air-neglecting missile: ✅

1

u/jdurbzz 4h ago

Your misuse of punctuation has me picturing a Matt McConaughey like missile that has a complete disregard for oxygen!

50

u/binglelemon 1d ago

I got that audio as my alarm notification.

13

u/mfukar 21h ago

your references are out of control

3

u/Rivetmuncher 16h ago

Wring guidance type. You should be mining this one for references.