VIRTUAL ELECTRONIC SCALES

摘要

The paper presents a new concept of virtual electronic scales (VES) conceived as a PC peripheral. The traditional approach, "specific scales for specific application", has dominated the development and production of both mechanical and state-of-the-art electronic scales. The main aim of this paper is to promote a PC-based approach ― electronic weight scales as a virtual instruments. The paper offers a detailed presentation of originally developed hardware and software structures of VES called Soft Scales, based on strain-gauge load cells, of 2/200 kg measurement range, accuracy class III, up to 10,000 scale intervals. Finally, a list of specific applications and realisation of both trade scales and body mass index measurement sistem as a virtual instruments, together with a brief measurement-technical comparison between the classical and PC-based approach are presented.