|
|
Article: Riding the wave of technological change: the gap between stand-alone instruments and PCs is closing quickly.(industry insight)
- Article from:
- Scientific Computing & Instrumentation
- Article date:
- September 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Advantage Business Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Rapid adoption of the PC during the past 20 years has given rise to a new way for scientists to measure and automate the world around them--virtual instrumentation. Today, virtual instrumentation is coming of age with engineers and scientists using "virtual instruments" in literally hundreds of thousands of applications around the globe, resulting in faster application development, higher quality products, and lower costs.
A virtual instrument consists of an industry-standard computer or workstation equipped with powerful off-the-shelf application software, cost-effective hardware such as plug-in boards, and driver software--which together perform the functions ...