The USB DrDAQ is a replacement for the parallel-port DrDAQ, which, since its release in 2000, has found its way into a wide variety of applications from education to research. The higher transfer rate of USB allows the new USB DrDAQ to act as an oscilloscope for signals at audio frequencies and beyond.
Many new features have been added, most notably the combined function generator and arbitrary waveform generator. Also new is the RGB LED, which can display a wide range of colours. Two of the I/O ports have a new pulse-counting function when used as inputs, and a new pulse width modulation output capability. The sensor ports can be used with Pico Technology’s range of temperature, humidity and oxygen sensors for the DrDAQ, or with custom sensors built by the user.
The USB DrDAQ is supplied with a free Software Development Kit (SDK) with fully documented function calls to control all aspects of the device, so that you can integrate it into your own programs. The kit includes example programs in C, C++, Microsoft Excel and National Instruments LabVIEW. The SDK, PicoScope and PicoLog are compatible with Microsoft Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.