DAQ

[galannthegreat]

Currently in the program I am currently taking we are learning about DAQ and Analysis, this is piquing my interest on working on a project for which I would take sensor data, store it, and analyze it for later use. I know I can buy boards in which are setup to do this easily, but I want to make my own system to do this (though, I will try out a premade system too to see the differences... if I can get one working). What I want to do is to use my Arduino, either transmit the data via XBee to my system, or log it in a memory of some sort for later use (ie. store as a txt file on a USB flashdrive or an SD card).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Razor Concepts]

I say go for xbee and save to a computer, mainly because that way you can have a timestamp on the data. Java, python, etc all have com port access so it wont be too hard to make a simple logging program

[Ro-Bot-X]

There are SD card shields for Arduino and there is the OpenLog from SparkFun that has an Arduino on board. You can use your Aduino to read the sensors and send the data to the OpenLog to store it on the uSD card. Then, you can later analyze it on your computer.

I have started to use xBees and did a bit of reading through their docs. They are interesting creatures. They have a few digital I/O pins and analog pins that you can hook up sensors and that xBee will relay the data to another xBee connected to the computer that will send through the serial link all data read from the sensors. Or, if the second xBee is connected to a microcontroller, it can act like the sensor is connected directly to it's pins, that means for an analog sensor it will PWM the same voltage that the first xBeed read directly, or set a digital pin to the state the same pin got on the first xBee. This feature is used to do the hardware reset when you upload code from Arduino. Pretty cool, huh?

[galannthegreat]

@ Razor Concepts
I'll definitely think of doing that, but maybe I could use an RTC to keep a time stamp?

@ Ro-Bot-X
I know, I was looking into that and it's pretty flippin' cool. I like how you can have a bunch of these units networked together and they can transfer local information between the systems. Also I'm thinking of using a regular SD card and just sending the info (maybe in a txt file) to it.



How can this information be sent to an SD card as a txt file using an Arduino or other MCU?

[Admin]

You can use the Axon as a DAQ, and all the software is free:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/sor_scope.shtml

(I'm financially motivated to sell you an Axon )

Free USB Oscope Software

[galannthegreat]

I know you are, and I want one... but at the moment I am not financially motivated... But that will change within a few weeks... Maybe someone can pay shipping for a student in need

















jk