A simple linux-based platform for rapid prototyping of experimental control systems

Author

Silverstein, S.B. ; Rosenqvist, J. ; Bohm, C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Stockholm Univ., Sweden

Volume

53

Issue

3

fYear

2006

fDate

6/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

927

Lastpage

929

Abstract

We have developed a multipurpose experimental control and data acquisition system designed for rapid prototyping of small educational experiments. The system has been designed with an emphasis on low cost, flexibility, and simplification of software and firmware design for minimal time to experiment. Software has been developed for command-line and html-based control and readout interfaces, as well as a TCP/IP server communicating with LabVIEW. A standard Linux kernel and open-source development tools simplifies software development. A common VHDL framework containing a standard interface with the computer´s external peripheral bus allows rapid firmware development.

Keywords

Linux; computer interfaces; data acquisition; field programmable gate arrays; firmware; hardware description languages; public domain software; software prototyping; software tools; LabVIEW; TCP-IP server communication; VHDL framework; command-line; computer external peripheral bus; computer interfaces; control systems; data acquisition system; field programmable gate arrays; html-based control; multipurpose experimental control; open-source development tools; rapid prototyping; readout interfaces; simple Linux-based platform; software development; software portability; Control systems; Costs; Data acquisition; Microprogramming; Open source software; Prototypes; Software design; Software prototyping; Standards development; TCPIP; Computer interfaces; data acquisition; field programmable gate arrays; software portability;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.2006.873638

Filename

1644966