Handshaking between computer and measuring instruments – characteristics of ieee488 bus - use of SCPI protocol over USB and Ethernet - use of Labview and plain C programming for instruments control - “user space” and “kernel space” programming with the Linux operating system – an example kernel module for data acquisition.
With laboratory activity.
Manuals and on line help for Labview. , RedPitaya, RaspberryPi, gpib and C libraries manual pages.
Teaching material provided on Moodle website.
Learning Objectives
Use of handshaking protocols in the computer-instrumentation links. Handling of the synchronization problems. Design and setup of measurement procedures for experiments in physics. Programming in the Labview environment; programming in C, both in “user space” and in “kernel space”.
Prerequisites
Computer science
Teaching Methods
Frontal lecture and laboratory practice with teachers' support.
6 CFU – 60 hours (30 classroom lectures + 30 laboratory)
Further information
Student reception: every day by arrangement during office hours (email: simone.valdre@fi.infn.it – tel. 055 457 2693; vladislav.gavryusev@unifi.it)
Type of Assessment
Presentation of a report on the laboratory experiences carried out and the developed data acquisition code. Afterwards, oral examination of about 30 minutes during which the report, measurement results and the developed code will be discussed. Related concepts covered during the lectures may be explored in more detail.
The evaluation will take into account the student's ability to explain with clarity of exposition and mastery of the subject matter, motivation and methods used, and critical evaluation of results of the carried out experiences.
Course program
Handshaking between computer and measuring instruments – characteristics of ieee488 bus – use of Labview and plain C programming for instruments control - “user space” and “kernel space” programming - “kernel space” programming with the Linux operating system – an example kernel module for data acquisition.
Laboratory activity:
(This list is an indication only. Actual laboratory experience may differ, depending also on the available instruments.)
Labview: Data read through a RedPitaya ADC channel and extraction of the Fourier spectrum. Control of a VCO through a RedPitaya DAC channel and determination of the frequency response of a linear network. Capture of background radiative decay signals on a RedPitaya ADC and statistical analysis.
C language: Control of a power supply and a voltmeter through an ieee488 bus and determination of the I-V relationship for a non-linear crcuit element. Signal sampling and synchronization. Implementation of a negativefeedback loop for control of process.
Use of C in kernel space to control a Raspberry Pi 3: implementation of a simple driver under the control of the computer interrupt system.
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