History and Methodology of Data Acquisition
– In 1963, IBM produced specialized computers for data acquisition.
– Tecmar/Scientific Solutions Inc. introduced general-purpose S-100 computers and data acquisition cards in 1974.
– In 1981, IBM introduced the IBM Personal Computer, and Scientific Solutions introduced the first PC data acquisition products.
– Data loggers, also known as stand-alone data acquisition systems, are often used in various applications.
– Data acquisition begins with the conversion of physical phenomena or properties into a unified form that can be sampled by a data acquisition system.
– Sensors convert physical properties into electrical signals.
– Signal conditioning may be necessary to prepare the sensor signals for the data acquisition hardware.
– Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) convert the conditioned sensor signals into digital values.
– A complete data acquisition system includes DAQ hardware, sensors and actuators, signal conditioning hardware, and a computer running DAQ software.
Properties and Signal Conditioning in Data Acquisition
– Sensors are devices that convert physical properties into corresponding electrical signals.
– Various properties can be measured, such as temperature, vibration, light intensity, gas pressure, fluid flow, and force.
– Signal conditioning may be required to filter, shape, or amplify the sensor signals.
– Bridge completion, current or voltage excitation, isolation, and linearization are examples of signal conditioning techniques.
– Differential signals can be used for transmission to reduce noise susceptibility.
DAQ Hardware
– DAQ hardware interfaces between the signals and a computer, typically through modules or cards connected to the computer’s ports or slots.
– DAQ cards often contain multiple components, such as multiplexers, ADCs, DACs, TTL-IO, high-speed timers, and RAM.
– Microcontrollers in the DAQ hardware allow for flexibility and small program execution.
– External breakout boxes can be used for adapters if needed.
– Some sensors and DAQ systems can stream signals via Bluetooth.
DAQ Software
– Specialized DAQ software is often provided with the DAQ hardware.
– EPICS is a software tool used for building large-scale data acquisition systems.
– Other programming environments, such as ladder logic, Visual C++, Visual Basic, LabVIEW, and MATLAB, are used for developing DAQ applications.
– Open-source software packages are available for acquiring data from specific hardware equipment.
– Different programming languages, such as Assembly, BASIC, C, C++, C#, Fortran, Java, LabVIEW, Lisp, and Pascal, can be used for developing DAQ software.
Applications and Advancements in Data Acquisition
– Data acquisition systems are used in various applications.
– Open-source software packages are adaptable for multiple experiments.
– Some sensors and DAQ systems can stream signals via Bluetooth.
– EPICS is a software tool used for building large-scale data acquisition systems.
– Advancements in DAQ hardware and software have allowed for more flexibility and efficiency in data acquisition processes. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_acquisition
Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real-world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition systems, abbreviated by the acronyms DAS, DAQ, or DAU, typically convert analog waveforms into digital values for processing. The components of data acquisition systems include:
- Sensors, to convert physical parameters to electrical signals.
- Signal conditioning circuitry, to convert sensor signals into a form that can be converted to digital values.
- Analog-to-digital converters, to convert conditioned sensor signals to digital values.
Data acquisition applications are usually controlled by software programs developed using various general purpose programming languages such as Assembly, BASIC, C, C++, C#, Fortran, Java, LabVIEW, Lisp, Pascal, etc. Stand-alone data acquisition systems are often called data loggers.
There are also open-source software packages providing all the necessary tools to acquire data from different, typically specific, hardware equipment. These tools come from the scientific community where complex experiment requires fast, flexible, and adaptable software. Those packages are usually custom-fit but more general DAQ packages like the Maximum Integrated Data Acquisition System can be easily tailored and are used in several physics experiments.
