Robotics discussion questions – how do I measure what my robot is ‘sensing’?

You can do this two ways. If your robot has inbuilt output ports with the appropriate software, they will usually provide instructions how to do this. If there is an output port, but no software, there is a piece of hardware called the Data Acquisition device. This allows you to collect the information your robot, or other device, gets.

Where do I get a Data Acquisition device (DAQ)?

DAQ’s are specialised pieces of equipment. Chances are you will not find one in your local hardware store. They can be found in a specialist elcectrical/electronics equipment supply store, such as RS components in Australia.

What brands can I expect to find?

Because you will generally only use these to gather test and field data, they are not manufactured by everybody. Some of the more common brands are National Instruments, and Pico.

What is 'the best' DAQ?

This is a question commonly asked by people, and is not a question linked directly to robotics.

There is no ‘best’ DAQ, only the best one for your need. If you don’t need to buy a DAQ with 0.5% accuracy, don’t.

that's all I have time for this week. More on DAQ's later.