computer science

Instrument control

Instrument control is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Instrument control rather than just read about it. In short: Instrument control consists of connecting a desktop instrument to a computer and taking measurements. History In the late 1960s the first bus used for communication was developed by Hewlett-Packard and was called HP-IB (Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus).

Key takeaways

Instrument control belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Instrument control to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Instrument control from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Instrument control consists of connecting a desktop instrument to a computer and taking measurements.

History In the late 1960s the first bus used for communication was developed by Hewlett-Packard and was called HP-IB (Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus). Since HP-IB was originally designed to only work with HP instruments, the need arose for a standard, high-speed interface for communication between instruments and controllers from a variety of vendors. This need was addressed in 1975 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) published ANSI/IEEE Standard 488-1975, IEEE Standard Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation, which contained the electrical, mechanical, and functional specifications of an interfacing system. The standard was updated in 1987 and again in 1992 This bus is known by three different names, General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB), Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB), and IEEE-488 Bus, and is used worldwide. Today, there are several other buses in addition to the GPIB that can be used for instrument control. These include: Ethernet, USB, Serial, PCI, and PXI.

Software In addition to the hardware bus to control an instrument, software for the PC is also needed. Virtual Instrument Software Architecture, or VISA, was developed by the VME eXtensions for Instrumentation (VXI) plug and play Systems Alliance as a specification for I/O software. VISA was a step toward industry-wide software compatibility. The VISA specification defines a software standard for VXI, and for GPIB, serial, Ethernet and other interfaces. More than 35 of the largest instrumentation companies in the industry endorse VISA as the standard. The alliance created distinct frameworks by grouping the most popular operating systems, application development environments, and programming languages and defined in-depth specifications to guarantee interoperability of components within each framework. Instruments can be programmed by sending and receiving text based SCPI commands or by using an instrument driver . To ease the programming of instruments, many instruments are provided with industry standard instrument drivers such as VXIplug&play or IVI. These drivers require a VISA library to be to installed on the PC. IVI instrument drivers were designed to enable interchangeability of instruments in a manufacturing setting where automation and reduced down-time are important, but they are often used in other applications as well. Application development environments can support instrument control by supporting VISA and industry standard instrument drivers. Environments supporting VISA include LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, MATLAB, and VEE. Furthermore, the VISA library can support programming languages like C, C++, C#, Python and others.

See also Agilent VEE Automation IEEE-488 Instrument Driver LabVIEW LabWindows LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation MATLAB Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA)

References

External links Instrument Control Fundamentals Presents technical content through theory, real-world examples, and interactive audiovisual tutorials - From National Instruments VXIplug&play GPIB Tutorial IVI Foundation Development Hints and Best Practices for Using Instrument Drivers - From Rohde & Schwarz

Further reading Francesco Fornetti (2013). Instrumentation Control, Data Acquisition and Processing with MATLAB. Explore RF Ltd. ISBN 978-0957663503. Steve Mackay; et al. (2003). Practical Data Communications for Instrumentation and Control (IDC Technology). Newnes. ISBN 978-0750657976.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Instrument control

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Instrument control claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Instrument control before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Instrument control ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Instrument control

In research: Instrument control appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Instrument control in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Instrument control is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer buses, Electronic test equipment, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Instrument control outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Instrument control in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Instrument control means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Instrument control out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Instrument control in simple terms?

Instrument control consists of connecting a desktop instrument to a computer and taking measurements. History In the late 1960s the first bus used for communication was developed by Hewlett-Packard and was called HP-IB (Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus).

Why does Instrument control matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Instrument control?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Instrument control.