Interfacing to sensors and actuators in embedded control applications
The use of sensors in embedded electronic devices spans across a wide range of applications, from fundamental scientific and analytical measurements to consumer electronics, and each type of sensors (be it temperature sensors, humidity sensors, strain gauges, or RTDs) presents unique requirements when interfacing with an embedded controller. Modern laboratory and analytical instruments are prolific data generators with obvious needs for communication. They incorporate impressive technology implemented with increasingly complex electronics, yet users demand simple graphical interfaces and intuitive menu-based front panel controls.
Mosaic Industries' embedded controllers and diverse expansion I/O modules called Wildcards are designed to meet these needs by providing computing power to run the instrument's application software, a graphical user interface (GUI) for local operation, mix and match I/O for sensing and control, serial communications for interface to other serial-controlled instruments and sensors, Ethernet and TCP/IP for connection to a local area network (LAN), and web service for communication via remote web browsers.
This set of hardware and software components works together to provide a seamless and transparent interface to sensors and actuators.
All Mosaic controllers include pre-coded device drivers providing full high level access to their functions using either the C or Forth programming languages.
Pre-coded I/O drivers facilitate data acquisition, pulse width modulation, motor control, PID control, sensor calibration, frequency measurement, data analysis, data logging, analog control, and communications.
Extensive documentation with precoded sample programs helps you finish your application quickly.
