Whats the Difference between Data Loggers and Data

Acquisition?

Data Acquisition > Products or Data Logger > Products

In two words: Not much. But it was not always so. There was a time not long ago when
significant differences existed between these two basic system types. Consider the following
typical data logger features versus its data acquisition cousin:
Data loggers were battery powered.
Data loggers were higher resolution devices.
Data loggers recorded to their own memory.
Data loggers operated at very slow sample rates.

Data logger
is used where a full PC-based DAQ system is not possible or desired. Often
this can be
because the installation is in a hostile environment that most PCs cannot
tolerate or because a PCbased
data acquisition system would simply be too large. Unfortunately, security is
also frequently a
consideration and though the more powerful devices may be valued at many
thousands of dollars,
they are not as prone to theft as there is not too much use for a stolen data
logger in the home and
their may not be much of a market for hot units.
Examples of where these devices are used abound. A few of these examples
are shown below:
monitoring temperature, pressure, strain and other physical phenomena in
aircraft flight tests (even including logging info from Arinc 429 or other serial
communications buses)
Monitoring temperature, pressure, strain and other physical phenomena in
automotive
and in-vehicle tests including monitoring traffic and data transmitted on
the vehicles CAN bus.
Environmental monitoring for quality control in food processing, food
storage,
pharmaceutical manufacturing, and even monitoring the environment during
various stages of contract assembly or semiconductor fabrication
Monitoring stress and strain in large mechanical structures such as bridges,
steel
framed buildings, towers, launch pads etc.
Monitoring environmental parameters in temperature and environmental
chambers
and test facilities.
 replacing older, paper based chart recorders
These are only a few of the various applications which count on a data logger
to record and store
data. Almost any time something needs to be measured and the data stored
for future reference, one
of these flexible units may fit the bill.
Software for most data loggers comes in the form of a simple canned
configuration application that
allows the user to select the inputs to be logged, the signal conditioning or
linearization required, the
sample rate, alarm conditions etc. Also the software needs to define how the
logging application is to
be started (e.g. time of day or based on a button push) and how it will be
ended (e.g. in four hours,
at a certain date/time or on an alarm condition). The software may also allow
the user to select alarm
conditions which may be used to control one or more outputs that can be
used to notify of the alarm
or even perform an emergency shut down of the system. Finally the
application software typically is
used to help the user download the data from the logger into an application
that is used to analyze
the logged data (e.g. Excel, MATLData acquisition (DAQ) is the process of
measuring an electrical or physical phenomenon such as voltage, current,
temperature, pressure, or sound with a computer. A DAQ system consists of
sensors, DAQ measurement hardware, and a computer with programmable
software.AB)

. A data logger (also datalogger or data recorder) is an electronic device that

records data over time or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or
sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they
are based on a digital processor (or computer).

Data acquisition

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real world physical conditions
and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a
computer. Data acquisition systems, abbreviated by the acronyms DAS or DAQ, typically convert
analog waveforms into digital values for processing. The components of data acquisition systems
include:

Sensors, to convert physical parameters to electrical signals.

 Signal conditioning circuitry, to convert sensor signals into a form that can be
converted to digital values.

Analog-to-digital converters, to convert conditioned sensor signals to digital

values.

Digital Data Acquisition System Block Diagram

Data acquisition applications are usually controlled by software programs developed using
various general purpose programming languages such as Assembly, BASIC, C, C++, C#,
Fortran, Java, LabVIEW, Lisp, Pascal, etc. Stand-alone data acquisition systems are often called
data loggers.

There are also open-source software packages providing all the necessary tools to acquire data
from different hardware equipment. These tools come from the scientific community where
complex experiment requires fast, flexible and adaptable software. Those packages are usually
custom fit but more general DAQ package like the Maximum Integrated Data Acquisition
System can be easily tailored and is used in several physics experiments worldwide.

Data logger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For path tracking devices, see GPS tracking unit Data loggers.

Data logger Cube storing technical and sensor data

A data logger (also datalogger or data recorder) is an electronic device that records data over
time or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or sensor or via external
instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they are based on a digital processor (or
computer). They generally are small, battery powered, portable, and equipped with a
microprocessor, internal memory for data storage, and sensors. Some data loggers interface with
a personal computer, and use software to activate the data logger and view and analyze the
collected data, while others have a local interface device (keypad, LCD) and can be used as a
stand-alone device.

Data loggers vary between general purpose types for a range of measurement applications to
very specific devices for measuring in one environment or application type only. It is common
for general purpose types to be programmable; however, many remain as static machines with
only a limited number or no changeable parameters. Electronic data loggers have replaced chart
recorders in many applications.

One of the primary benefits of using data loggers is the ability to automatically collect data on a
24-hour basis. Upon activation, data loggers are typically deployed and left unattended to
measure and record information for the duration of the monitoring period. This allows for a
comprehensive, accurate picture of the environmental conditions being monitored, such as air
temperature and relative humidity.

The cost of data loggers has been declining over the years as technology improves and costs are
reduced. Simple single channel data loggers cost as little as $25. More complicated loggers may
costs hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Data Loggers and Data Acquisition

Description and definition of data loggers and data acquisition, and a summary of the main
benefits.

What is a data logger?

Data loggers are electronic devices which automatically monitor and record environmental
parameters over time, allowing conditions to be measured, documented, analysed and validated.
The data logger contains a sensor to receive the information and a computer chip to store it. Then
the information stored in the data logger is transferred to a computer for analysis.

Loggers in the Tinytag range monitor parameters including temperature, humidity, single and
three phase power usage, CO2, mV, mA, voltage, pulses or counts.
What is data acquisition?
Data acquisition is the sampling of the real world to generate data that can be manipulated by a
computer. Sometimes abbreviated DAQ, data acquisition typically involves acquisition of signals
and waveforms and processing of the signals to obtain desired information. The components of
data acquisition systems include appropriate sensors that convert any measurement parameter to
an electrical signal, which is acquired by data acquisition hardware (such as data loggers).
Acquired data typically is displayed, analysed, and stored on a PC.