Data Acquisition System (DAS)

A Data Acquisition System (DAS) is a specialized computing system that captures, converts, processes, and stores physical measurements and signals from real-world environments through sensors and transducers, typically transforming analog data into digital data for analysis, monitoring, and control purposes.

• AKA: Data Capture System, DAQ System, DAU System, Measurement System, Instrumentation System.
• Context:
  • It can typically collect DAS signals from DAS sensors that measure physical phenomena such as temperature, pressure, voltage, and acceleration.
  • It can typically process DAS analog input through signal conditioning circuits to prepare raw signals for digitization.
  • It can typically convert DAS conditioned signals into digital values using analog-to-digital converters at specified sampling rates.
  • It can typically store DAS acquired data in DAS buffer memory, DAS storage devices, or transmit to DAS host computers.
  • It can typically synchronize DAS measurements using DAS timing control and DAS triggering mechanisms.
  • ...
  • It can often implement DAS multiplexing to handle multiple DAS channels through a single processing path.
  • It can often apply DAS digital filtering to remove signal noise and extract meaningful signal components.
  • It can often provide DAS calibration capabilities to ensure measurement accuracy and data reliability.
  • It can often integrate with DAS software applications for data visualization, data analysis, and automated control.
  • It can often support DAS communication protocols for transferring DAS collected data to external systems.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Data Acquisition System to being a Complex Data Acquisition System, depending on its DAS channel count and DAS processing capability.
  • It can range from being a Low-Speed Data Acquisition System to being a High-Speed Data Acquisition System, depending on its DAS sampling rate.
  • It can range from being a Fixed Data Acquisition System to being a Portable Data Acquisition System, depending on its DAS form factor.
  • It can range from being a Standalone Data Acquisition System to being an Integrated Data Acquisition System, depending on its DAS system architecture.
  • It can range from being a Single-Channel Data Acquisition System to being a Multi-Channel Data Acquisition System, depending on its DAS input capacity.
  • ...
  • It can incorporate DAS hardware components such as signal conditioners, anti-aliasing filters, sample-and-hold circuits, and multiplexers.
  • It can implement DAS resolution specifications that determine the measurement precision and detectable signal difference.
  • It can operate under DAS timing constraints to maintain synchronized sampling across measurement channels.
  • It can support various DAS input types including voltage input, current input, digital input, and frequency input.
  • It can provide DAS isolation barriers to protect sensitive components from electrical interference and voltage surges.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • DAS Application Domains, such as:
    • Industrial Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • Process Control DAS for monitoring manufacturing processes and production parameters.
      • Machine Condition Monitoring DAS for tracking equipment health and performance indicators.
      • Power Monitoring DAS for measuring electrical parameters and energy consumption.
    • Scientific Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • Laboratory DAS for capturing experimental measurements and test results.
      • Environmental Monitoring DAS for recording environmental parameters and climate data.
      • Research Instrumentation DAS for gathering high-precision measurements in scientific studies.
    • Medical Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • Patient Monitoring DAS for tracking vital signs and physiological parameters.
      • Medical Imaging DAS for capturing diagnostic image data from imaging equipment.
      • Clinical Research DAS for collecting patient data during clinical trials.
    • Automotive Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • Vehicle Testing DAS for measuring performance parameters during vehicle development.
      • Engine Management DAS for monitoring engine operating conditions and emission levels.
      • Crash Test DAS for capturing impact data during safety tests.
  • DAS Hardware Architectures, such as:
    • PC-based Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • PCI Data Acquisition Card for internal computer expansion.
      • USB Data Acquisition Module for portable measurement applications.
      • Ethernet-based Data Acquisition System for network-distributed measurement.
    • Embedded Data Acquisition Systems, such as:
      • Microcontroller-based DAS for compact measurement solutions.
      • FPGA-based DAS for high-speed data processing.
      • SoC-based Data Acquisition System for integrated measurement platforms.
    • Standalone Data Loggers, such as:
      • Portable Data Logger for field measurement.
      • Environmental Data Logger for remote monitoring.
      • Industrial Data Logger for long-term process monitoring.
  • Historical DAS Implementations, such as:
    • IBM 7700 Data Acquisition System (1963) for early automated laboratory measurement.
    • IBM 1800 Data Acquisition And Control System (1964) for industrial process control.
    • Maximum Integrated Data Acquisition System for physics experiment data collection.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Data Retrieval System, which extracts previously stored data rather than acquiring new measurements from physical sources.
  • Data Processing System, which focuses on data transformation and analysis rather than the initial signal acquisition from physical environments.
  • Digital Signal Generator, which produces output signals rather than capturing input signals.
  • Digital-to-Analog Converter System, which performs the opposite function by converting digital data to analog signals.
  • Pure Software System, which operates entirely in the digital domain without interfacing with analog physical world.
• See: Analog Signal, Electrical Signal, Analog-to-Digital Converter, 3D Scanner, Time-to-Digital Converter, Computer Automated Measurement and Control (CAMAC), Network Interface Controller, Black Box, Data Logger, Data Storage Device, Sensor, Transducer, Data Collection System, Instrumentation Amplifier, Signal Conditioning System.

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References

2021

• (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_acquisition Retrieved:2021-12-12.
  • 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 initialisms 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 is used in several physics experiments.

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