Overview
LABoratory Workbench™ is a high-performance GUI data acquisition software
package for Concurrent Computer Corporation’s iHawk Linux-based multiprocessing
systems. LABoratory Workbench’s easy-to-use, point-and-click interface allows users to acquire, process,
display and record analog data without the need for programming. LABoratory Workbench is an X/Motif-based
application that runs under Concurrent’s RedHawk Linux real-time operating system.
A set of symbolic icons and graphic displays represent data acquisition devices,
file operations, signal processing tasks, and display options. With LABoratory Workbench visual controls,
users can configure an operational data acquisition and signal processing system
on a screen in minutes.
Benefits
Data Acquisition Without Programming
LABoratory Workbench leaves scientists and engineers free to concentrate on the research experiment
at hand by providing a time-saving, visually-oriented, menu-driven data acquisition
and processing configuration environment. LABoratory Workbench gives you complete no-programming
control over Concurrent’s powerful iHawk data acquisition multiprocessing systems.
LABoratory Workbench provides a complete data acquisition solution at your fingertips. You can design
an application by creating virtual instruments as fast as you can sketch a data
flow diagram on the screen. Test and refine it immediately, using simulated or real
data. Start and stop with the click of a mouse. Make data flow or processing changes
in seconds. Adjust parameters while the application is running. You can even integrate
your own or other vendors’ programs into a virtual instrument.
LABoratory Workbench not only allows non-programmers to set up and run sophisticated data acquisition
applications, it can also be customized by programmers to suit a particular user
environment. FORTRAN expressions can easily be incorporated into an LABoratory Workbench application
as reusable custom icons.
Data Acquisition Control
LABoratory Workbench offers easy access to mode setting, measurement parameters, control and synchronization
of data acquisition devices. Data can be acquired continuously in real-time or in
runs of fixed duration. Multiplexing and demultiplexing of data to and from component
channels is supported. Data flow features include type conversion and data pattern
matching.
Data Management
LABoratory Workbench provides features to manage data acquired during an experiment. Management of
data files includes names and headers indicating when and how data was collected
and processed. In addition, user-customized instruments can be saved and recalled
with parameter settings intact so that experiments can be identically repeated.
Data Display
A variety of real-time displays are provided including digitals meters, oscilloscopes,
multiple X-Y plots and 3-D waterfall plots. Waterfall plots can be zoomed, translated
and rotated about all three axes. Flow diagrams and data displays can be printed
for use in research reports.
Build A Complete Data Acquisition System…As Easy As 1, 2, 3
1. Create a Virtual Instrument
With a mouse, you can select, position and connect modules to build a virtual instrument.
Each module is a labeled icon with a specific function such as analog-to-digital
conversion, multiplexing and demultiplexing, signal processing, storing or data
display. Virtual instruments perform the operations they depict. Integrate optional
custom software and sampling parameters as needed.
2. Refine Your Design
Before gathering real data, ensure that your instrument will perform as intended.
Using pre-programmed test signals or previously acquired data, you can run your
instrument and verify its functionality.
3. Put The System To Work
You are ready to gather live data. Replace the test signals with real inputs and
select “Start”. You are now simultaneously acquiring, analyzing, and recording while
displaying your information. Change settings as you go. Modify, save and recall
instruments in ASCII or binary files. Data directories and files are automatically
created, labeled and time-stamped. Data is now accessible to your other applications
or third-party programs for post processing. Using LABoratory Workbench, you spend less time on the
tedious tasks.
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