Test and Measuring Instruments

Any Tablet with an external Hardware can make a nice Instrument. The professional part lies in that external hardware and usability of the software or app. Windows Virtual Instrumentation are well known. Things like USB Scope and Data Loggers have been there for decades.

Now we have Android in which an Open Source product can be developed. The Open Source is both in Hardware and Software.



These were some questions i got a few years back...

1 - If i had to create a crude "Lux Meter" and "db Meter" using the built-in camera and microphone on a Android Device - How would i Calibrate it ?

2 - Is there a Component(software) for Android to interlace with a Arduino Device as an external interface, This will help us make a DMM/Scope or even a Entire Lab Test bench centered around a Tablet and a Plug-in Mini Instrument Rack.

 All These Instrument Needs a USB/Bluetooth Sensors. Add Bluetooth you can carry your Tablet away from the instrument probing the DUT. (Device under Test)

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An android virtual instrument - OsciPrime is an Open Source Android high speed data acquisition hardware platform and Android oscilloscope application.

Open Source Tablet Oscilloscope



Using USB, the hardware plugs into Android devices that support USB Host. Together with the OsciPrime Android oscilloscope application it turns a tablet or mobile phone into a high speed data acquisition system.



Hardware Specs:

• 2x Analogue Input @ 8bit/6Msps
• 5 analogue gain levels
• 3.3 MHz - 8.0 MHz Bandwidth (gain dependant)
• 16 V Max Input Voltage
• 880 mW Power Consumption
• Designed for 10x Probes

The Android App Instrument Performance and Controls Include

Controls -V-Offset, Time-Offset, Calibration; Trigger Controls Falling/Rising and Edge, You can Measure Voltage, Freq and Period.  

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Measure 600V and 10A with 24 bit resolution through 50 meters of space and 6 months of time

"A wired meter forces you to get up close and personal with what you are measuring. This can be a mild inconvenience or downright dangerous. The wireless link provides you the freedom in your measurements..."

Mooshimeter - Smartphone DMM

The Mooshimeter makes multi-channel measurements possible in situations that are too fast, too slow, too sensitive or too dangerous to use a traditional multimeter. A SmartPhone with an App does the job in Tandem with the Measurement Hardware Box with the Probes. Android app available.



(Please always use external shunts, current transformers, sensors, attenuators to measure High Energy Parameters - means High Volatge, High Current, High Frequency or a combination of them. -  delabs)

Specifications Include

• Up to 600V, DC or peak AC 
• Better than 0.5% accuracy DC
• Better than 1.0% accuracy AC 
• 10 Megaohm input impedance
• 1% accuracy over 20 Ohms – 20 Megaohms
• 8kHz dual simultaneous sampling
• Up to 10 Amps 1% accuracy
• Bluetooth Low Energy Radio

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This is an interesting attempt in the right direction. The bandwidth may be only the audio range, but the first instruments with touch interface for tablets are being built for tablets even by DIY Enthusiasts.

SpecScope from NFX Development

SpecScope is a spectrum analyzer and is the second in the line of engineer applications from NFX Development. The SpecScope incorporates the speed and ease of use to access FFT frequency measurements in a hurry.



Some of the Features

• Logarithmic/Linear measurements
• Pinch to zoom in both X and Y axis
• Selectable No. bin for accuracy versus speed
• Three settings of spectrum averaging
• Threshold trigger to hold the peak value
• Tap to pause and resume measurements (graph is still navigational in this mode)
• A adjustable sample rate allow analysis from 10 Hz to 22KHz

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A high precision 6 ½ digit Digital Multimeter with dual measurement displays, 11 measurement functions and 10 math functions at high accuracy.

A scanner card, which carries 16 V-Channels and 2 I-Channels, to facilitate the measurements of multiple-test points on either a device or multiple devices all at a press of a button.

The GDM-8261 can be used as a semi-auto ATE System to increase the throughput of manufacturing test or as a data logger to perform long term monitoring or characterization of a DUT.


GDM-8261A - Dual Measurement Multimeter

Highlights

Dual Measurements to perform two selected measurements simultaneously. High Resolution: Up to 100pA with DCI and 1nA with ACI Measurements.
Features Include

• 6 1/2 Digit Display1,200,000 counts
• DCV Basic Accuracy0.0035%
• Bright Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
• Standard Interfaces USB, RS232C, Digital I/O

Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd was the first professional manufacturer in Taiwan specializing in electrical test & measurement instruments. They manufacture more than 300 product items, ranging from oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal sources, etc.