Links and Resources

Data Acquisition (general):

• Input/Data Acquisition System Design for Human Computer Interfacing (Stanford University tutorial)
  
  
• Introduction to Data Acquisition Systems and LabVIEW (University of Pennsylvania, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering. Undergraduate Laboratory of Electrical Engineering).
  
  
• National Instruments -- Data Acquisition Tutorial

Data Acquisition: software:

Open-Source

• Comedi: a project that develops open-source drivers, tools, and libraries for data acquisition.
  
  
• EPICS: is a set of Open Source software tools, libraries and applications developed collaboratively and used worldwide to create distributed soft real-time control systems for scientific instruments such as a particle accelerators, telescopes and other large scientific experiments.
  
  
• Midas: a data acquisition system under the GPL which is used in particle and nuclear experiments. The software contains a library which can be used for data transport between different computers and programs, and a set of programs for data logging and system management.
  
  
• Zephyr Measurement System: "a script-driven data acquisition and measurement automation program written in Java. It has been developed to simplify some laboratory tests at Nanomix. it's also being used by the Star Research Group at the University of Pittsburgh. This program may be suitable for many other applications involving measurement instruments and actuators, especially where there's a need to change the setup often. The most important feature of this program is scripting, which allows scheduling of configuration and measurement events. The script language is based on XML. The script interpreter, instruments and output components are loosely coupled in this program, which allows it to be quite flexible."

LabVIEW:

• LabVIEW for Dummiees -- First Edition (Illinois Institute of Technology)

Matlab:

• Control Tutorials for MatLab and Matlab Basics Tutorial from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, were designed for engineering students. However, anyone wanting a more in-depth understanding of MatLab -- and common applications that it's used in -- may find these references useful.
  
  
• Data Acquisition Software (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) -- endorses MATLAB as the ideal DAQ software.

Sensors:

• Introduction to Sensors (Univ. of Exeter, UK)
• Sensorland.com -- Articles on How Sensors and Sensor Systems Work.
• Sensor Technical Tips -- Topics inculde "The Benefits of DIGITAL SENSORS", " Predictive Maintenance System" and more.

Signal Conditioning:

• Signal Conditioning (Stanford University) -- a basic tutorial.
• Signal Conditioning Tutorial PDF (from DataForth)

Various Articles on Data Acquisition Systems:

Generic:

• Collection of data-acquisition-related articles from evaluationengineering.com: Topics include Data Acquisition Drives Vehicle Development , Linux for Data Acquisition , Ethernet Data Acquisition: An Independent Evaluation and more.
  
  
• Data Acquisition: A Balancing Act -- "...data acquisition may seem much more like juggling than simply balancing because there are so many variables to consider."
  
  
• Data Acquisition news -- A DAQ Blog-type site
  
  
• E. T. Subramaniam, Kusum Rani, B. P. Ajith Kumar, and R. K. Bhowmik (Sept 2006). "Ethernet based list processing controller for high speed data acquisition systems". Review of Scientific Instruments

Teaching and Education:

• Antler M, Salin E, Wilczek-Vera G (Mar 2005). "Teaching data acquisition - An undergraduate experiment in the advanced analytical chemistry laboratory". Journal of Chemical Education
  
  
• J. Maps (Jul 1993). "A computer-based data acquisition laboratory for undergraduates". American Journal of Physics

Applications:

• DeSerio R (April 2004). "Synchronous analog I/O for acquisition of chaotic data in periodically driven systems". American journal of physics.

SCADA (SUPERVISORY CONTROL and DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM):

• SCADA overview (Stanford University) -- History, Benefits, SCADA System in Action.
  
  
• SCADA Primer
  
  
• SCADA Explained -- An FAQ-style guide to SCADA basics. "The primary purpose of SCADA is to monitor, control and alarm plant or regional operating systems from a central location."
  
  
• SCADA Stuff -- Links, Books, Software and Hardware vendors.
  
  
• Alavu: is a free, open-source SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) software package. It acquires data at the rate of 1 sample/second for 10 minute interval. Provides different views for the acquired signal in IntervalMap, InstantMap and VirtualMap. Enables to classify signals in to different views in ClassEdit. Collects data from remote server. Logs data of all channels every hour for the one week duration. Gives Statistical report and Fourier Spectrum of logged data.
  
  
• SCADA books:

	Practical Modern SCADA Protocols: DNP3, 60870.5 and Related Systems, by by Gordon Clarke and Deon Reynders. Paperback: 400 pages (September 2004).		A Guide to Utility Automation: Amr, Scada, and It Systems for Electric Power, by Michael Wiebe. Hardcover: 316 pages (January 2000).
	Creating HMI/SCADA Industrial Applications Using Microsoft Access, by Jeff Weigant. Spiral-bound - 103 pages (May 1, 1999).		Scada : Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, by Stuart A. Boyer. Paperback 219 pages, 3rd edition (June 3, 2004).
	Practical SCADA for Industry , by David Bailey and Edwin Wright. Paperback, 288 pages (July 2003).		Automating Science and Engineering Laboratories With Visual Basic (Wiley-Interscience Series on Laboratory Automation), by Mark F. Russo, Martin M. Echols. Paperback (May 1999).

Companies/Manufacturers of Data Acquisition Hardware/Software (USA)

• Dataforth -- Although this company makes all sorts of DAQ gear, signal conditioners seem to be their specialty. Dataforth's SensorLex 8B line of isolated analog signal conditioners provides 17 family groups with a total of 102 models that interface to a wide variety of voltage, current, temperature, position, frequency, and strain measuring devices.
  
  
• DATAQ Instruments -- Offers lower-cost DAQ gear including thermocouples, data loggers and ready-to-go data-acquisition "Starter Kits".
  
  
• Data Translation (datax.com) -- datax.com's specialty is USB DAQ..
  
  
• IOTech -- High-quality but still lower cost (comparing to NI, the benchmark). All of their data acquisition products are supplied with Out-of-the-Box software, for instant setup, signal verification, and data collection. IOTeche also supply a wide selection of drivers for most popular languages and applications, including Visual Basic®, C/C++, LabVIEW, DASYLab, MATLAB, and more.
  
  
• Keithley Instruments -- Data acquisition products from PXI to multifunction USB data acquisition boards to PCI Analog and Digital I/O boards.
  
  
• Measurement Computing -- Lower-priced DAQ-products manufacturer -- both hardware and software. An example of one of their new products is a Web-enabled 8-channel thermocouple input module. It can write temperature data to its own Web page.
  
  
• National Instruments (NI) -- One of the worlds largest data-acquisition- and signal-conditioning-products manufacturers. Offers modules in several form factors: Compact FieldPoint, CompactDAQ, CompactFlash, CompactRIO, Ethernet, FireWire, ISA, PCI, PCI Express, PCMCIA, PXI, PXI Express, SCC, SCXI, USB. Creator of popular LabView software.
  
  
• Omega Engineering -- Wide variety of sensors, transmitters, signal sonditioners, loggers, USB DAQ modules, and more.
  
  
• Sensoray -- OEM designer and manufacturer of frame grabbers, data-acquisition and machine-control products
  
  
• SuperLogics -- Lower-cost PCI, USB, PCMCIA, Serial, Ethernet and wireless data-acquisition solutions and a variety of complementary products such as sensors, data communications and industrial PCs.
  
  
• United Electronic Industries -- A manufacturer of PC/Ethernet data acquisition and control, Data Logger/Recorder and Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) and Modbus TCP markets. Their “Cube” form factor provides a compact, rugged platform, suitable for applications in the automotive, aerospace, petroleum/refining, simulation, semiconductor manufacturing, medical, HVAC, power generation and more.
  
  
• Yokogawa -- PC-Based Measurement Instruments; scalable, high performance data acquisition/data-logging platform designed for both PC-controlled and stand-alone operation under harsh operating conditions; DAQMASTER PC-Based Data Acquisition Unit.

Magazines (Print)

• Control Engineering
  
  
• Design World
  
  
• Electronics Design, Strategy and News
  
  
• Plant Engineering

Web sites, Web directories, Forums and Webzines

• Automation.com -- online resource for industrial, process and factory automation; machine, motion and process control; and instrumentation professionals.
  
  
• DMOZ: Data Acquisition and Control
  
  
• GlobalSpec