Multifunction DAQ

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Wireless Multifunction DAQ

I need a wireless multifunction DAQ system.  Requirements: 14 AI channels (DI), 16 Bit, 640 scan/sec/ch scan rate.
 
Questions:
 
1. Does NI make such a system?
 
2. If not, does anyone have ny experience with using a USB DAQ system (like NI USB-6259) with a USB wireless transmitter?  This could be a USB wireless extender (if it exists) or a USB-over-network system.
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I don't know of an 'all-in-one' wireless multifunction DAQ solution, but you might be able to fashion your own solution by using a National Instruments USB DAQ device and a USB server that allows USB devices to be used on an Ethernet network.  You could then use off-the-shelf Wi-Fi products to get your computer and the USB server on the network.

I haven't tried this in a wireless network, but I have had success using National Instruments' USB DAQ devices with the Keyspan US-4A (http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/server/).  Essentially, the DAQ device plugs into the USB server which is connected to the Ethernet network.  Special software running on the host allows the USB ports on the USB server to appear as if they are integrated with the host.  As long as the sampling rates are reasonable (given the rate you mentioned, I would be inclined to think it would be), it work quite well, just as if the USB device is plugged into the host.  In your application, you'd have to set up some sort of way for both the computer and the USB server to be on a Wi-Fi network.  Like I said, I haven't tried this and am not sure exactly how you would do it, but it is definitely an option to explore.  One thing I can warn you about from experience is that if the host has Windows Firewall enabled, you will have trouble communicating with the USB server.  Once the firewall was shut off, it worked as expected.

I would be interested to hear if you do pursue this route and the successes or challenges you encounter.

Good luck,
Aaron
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There is a nice article in the latest issue of Evaluation Engineering that talks about how an Alliance member did it.
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