Vernier scales and other historic devices for precise measurement

What is it about?

How Vernier scales work, and why they succeeded over competing technologies for making precise measurements. This article argues that it the Vernier's superiority is due not only to its mathematics, but also to how vision works.

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Why is it important?

Previous accounts of Vernier and other high-precision scales have focussed primarily on the mathematics. This article shows one important way in which an instrument's design must connect with how humans use it.