USB 2.0 becomes interface to modular data-acquisition systems

摘要

Although USB has become popular as an interface for small, stand-alone, multichannel data-acquisition units, National Instruments' announcement of the CompactDaq system adds another dimension-plug-in modularity-to USB-based data acquisition. Many sensors require excitation, signal conditioning, or both, and many instrumentation setups use multiple sensor types that require different kinds of signal conditioning. A system might include several de-excited, strain-gauge-bridge-based load cells; several piezoelectric accelerometers; and a few thermocouples. Without additional hardware, stand-alone USB data-acquisition units can't handle such combinations.