A system to generate computer software for real-time acquisition and control

An automatic programming system has been developed to generate software for automation of laboratory experiments. The system allows inexperienced programmers to produce software in a fraction of the time required by conventional techniques.

Experiments whose analog signals have frequency components less than 100 hz, and magnitudes less than 10 volts, may be automated with the system. Data acquisition and control hardware, developed to implement the software system on an HP 2100A computer, occupies cnly one I/O slot, while allowing efricient real-time operation.

A software operating system which extends the real-time processing capability of the HP 210GA system has been developed. The operating system is necessary for the execution of real-time software.

The software generation system is an effective cost saving technique which applies to a wide variety of physical experiments.