Course detail

Computers in Experiments

FSI-TPEAcad. year: 2025/2026

The Computers in Experiment course is primarily devoted to hardware problems of the microcomputer application in experiments and to special software products for controlling the devices and virtual instrumentation. In lectures and laboratory measurements students will get acquainted with ports of the microcomputer (COM), standard interfaces (GPIB, MXI, USB, FireWire), measurement boards and some special electronic circuits (Multiplexer, A/D and D/A converter, Timer and Counter).
Main stress is put on the practical application of these new trends in design and performing the experiment. For the design and realization students will use the multifunction measurement boards and LabVIEW programming environment.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

2

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Zdeněk Nováček, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Physical Engineering (ÚFI)

Entry knowledge

Decimal, binary and hexadecimal number system. Fundamentals of the programming in a programming languages (Pascal, Visual Basic, C). PC hardware.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The attendance in the labs seminars, handing over reports from labs measurements. Working-out the individual project. The final evaluation considers the individual project (70%) and laboratory reports (30%).
A teacher checks the attendance on seminars stated in the timetable. The form and the date of the compensation of missed lessons are specified by the teacher.

Aims

The aim of the course is to make students acquainted with basic elements of the computer-controlled experiment. After completing the course students should be able to interconnect the instrument and PC through a standard interface and control these instruments by standard programming tools. We will also pay attention to utilization of the serial port of the PC for generation and detection of binary signals.
Performance of the computer-controlled experiment with application of standard interfaces and programming tools. More detailed knowledge of RS232 and GPIB will enable students to solve some particular tasks. Realization of simple virtual instruments in the LabVIEW environment.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

IEE 488 and VXIbus Control, DA and Anal. National Instruments. Austin TX, USA.
National Instruments: Instrumentation Ref. and Catalogue, 2012-2017. National Instruments, Austin TX, USA
Vlach, J; Havlíček, J; Vlach, M.: Začínáme s LabVIEW, Nakladatelství BEN, Praha 2008.

Recommended reading

Horák,J.: Hardware. Computer Press, Praha, 2000.
http://czech.ni.com/akademicka-oblast
Kainka B.: Měření, řízení a regulace pomocí PC. BEN - technická literatura, Praha, 2003.
Matoušek,D.: USB prakticky. BEN - technická literatura, Praha 2003

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-FIN-P Master's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory
  • Programme N-PMO-P Master's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Zdeněk Nováček, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Common principles for application of a computer in the experiment. Draft of the experiment, stimulation of the system, measurement and the record of the response. Analysis, interpretation and presentation of results.
Technical means. D/A and A/D converter, multi-plexer, counter/timer. PC boards for communication with real environment.
Communication between PC and device. Serial and parallel transition of the data, Signals and communication in RS232, GPIB (IEEE-488), VXI, MXI,USB, FireWire (IEEE-1394).
Controlling software for the experiment, features and characteristics.
LabVIEW. Components of the system, programming principles. Communication between PC and devices.

Computer-assisted exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Zdeněk Nováček, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Programming of the RS232 in LabVIEW environment.
a) Illumination of the LED diode.
b) Multimeter Metex
2. Measuring system with multifunction measurement board, measurement with multimeter Metex.
a) Time constant of thermo transducer.
b) Characteristics of photodiode.
c) Charging of the condenser.
3. DAQ and sound boards for signal analysis in LabVIEW.
4. Individual project.