Computer Interfaced Data Acquisition and Control Laboratory for Introductory Classes

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This award provides funds to the the Department of Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University to develop a microcomputer based, data acquisition and control laboratory for use by various introductory classes in the life sciences and engineering. The project has four objectives; to provide students insight to scientific uses of computers, to expose them to state-of-the-art automatic data entry and instrument control, to improve the quality of student laboratory data and minimize tedious number crunching, and finally to create exciting broad audience, lower division experiments. This last objective will refresh the interests of technical majors and possibly even attract to the life sciences and engineering, students from other fields. The equipment used will include data acquisition and control units, power supplies and custom experimental apparatus. Multiple units will ensure every student obtains hands on experience. This equipment will allow many different types of experiments to be performed, including measurements of biological response, thermal dynamics and control, thermal processign, and robotics. This project will significantly increase the level of instruction in the intended classes above current levels at this or any other known institution. The developments here, should serve as a model for improvement at other schools. This award is being matched by the grantee with with non-Federal sources.