ABSTRACT
Data acquisition includes everything from gathering data, to transporting it, to storing it. The path the data travels through the system is called the data acquisition channel. Data are first captured and subsequently translated into usable signals using transducers. The data acquisition system must be designed to match the process being measured as well as the end-user requirements. In some data acquisition applications the data acquisition module is a plugged-in card in a computer, which is installed far away from the process. Analog-to-digital converters (ADC) perform a key function in the data acquisition process. The application of various ADC technologies in a data acquisition system depends mainly on the cost, bit resolution, and speed. Direct memory access the process of sending data from an external device into the computer memory with no involvement of the computer’s central processing unit.
