Data Acquisition (DAQ)
Digilent's test and measurement devices (Discovery family) provide an entire benchtop worth of instruments in each compact device. Each product is designed to be the first stop in debugging and test targeted at analog and/or digital signals. Lovingly referred to as the swiss army knife of electronics by our customers, the Discovery family of products combines portability, usability and flexibility with affordability. All test and measurement devices use our free software application, WaveForms, that has been finely tuned for 10+ years and continues to be improved with new features and instruments.
Each device has a wide range of accessories designed to expand the functionality or provide the necessary I/O for specific applications. We continue to actively research and design additional accessories, consistently adding value to your investment in the Discovery ecosystem.
WaveForms is a free software application and is Linux, Mac, and Windows compatible, and works with some arm devices like Raspberry Pi. Combining the features and feel of traditional benchtop equipment and the processing power and user interface perks that you love about your PC, WaveForms provides an incredibly feature rich and highly intuitive interface for our devices. If more customization is desired, WaveForms also includes a script editor to write custom or timed tests in application, and a software development kit (SDK) to write entirely custom applications for your device. Can you tell we're proud?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is data acquisition (DAQ)?
Data acquisition (DAQ) is the process of sampling real-world physical signals such as temperature, voltage, pressure, or vibration and converting them into digital values a computer can analyze. A DAQ system consists of sensors, signal conditioning, an ADC, and software.
What is the difference between a DAQ device and a data logger?
A DAQ device connects to a PC for real-time capture. A data logger is self-contained with built-in storage for stand-alone unattended monitoring without a PC.
What types of signals can MCC DAQ systems measure?
MCC and Data Translation DAQ devices measure analog voltage, current, temperature (thermocouple, RTD, thermistor), strain, IEPE vibration and acoustics, and digital I/O.
Can I use a DAQ system with a Raspberry Pi?
Yes. MCC DAQ HATs (MCC 118, 128, 134, 152, 172) follow the Raspberry Pi HAT standard. Up to 8 can be stacked for 64 channels. Python and C/C++ libraries available on GitHub.
What software is included with MCC DAQ devices?
MCC DAQ devices include DAQami for logging/visualization and Universal Library drivers for Python, C/C++, MATLAB, DASYLab, and NI LabVIEW. Windows and Linux supported.