quantises

Quantises refers to the process of dividing a continuous range of values into a finite number of discrete intervals or levels. This is a fundamental concept in digital signal processing, data compression, and measurement. When a signal or data is quantised, its original continuous values are mapped to these predefined discrete levels.

The number of levels used in quantisation is determined by the quantiser's resolution, often expressed in bits. A higher resolution means more levels and therefore a more accurate representation of the original continuous data. However, increasing resolution also increases the amount of data required to store or transmit the quantised information.

Quantisation introduces an error known as quantisation error, which is the difference between the original continuous value and its corresponding quantised discrete value. This error is inherent to the process and cannot be eliminated, only reduced by increasing the number of quantisation levels.

Common applications of quantisation include analog-to-digital conversion, where continuous analog signals are converted into discrete digital values for processing by computers. It is also used in image and audio compression, where reducing the number of distinct values can significantly decrease file sizes, albeit with some loss of fidelity. In measurement, instruments often quantise readings into discrete units.