Computer Controlled Measurements - BMETE11AF38

Course data

  • Course name: Computer-Controlled Measurements
  • Neptun code: BMETE11AF38
  • Time: every 2nd week on Tuesdays, 16-20h
  • Location: F3213
  • Responsible lecturer: Gergő Fülöp
  • Instructors: Tímea Török
  • Requirements to pass:
    • Completion of the programming exercises (first 2 classes).
    • Completion of all the measurement control exercises. In case of justified absence, you have the possibility to retake 1 experiment.
    • Handing in reports of the exercises within the deadline.
    • Each report must have at least a pass (2) grade.
  • Grading:
    • Entrace tests before each measurement control exercise (max. 20 pts each)
    • Reports (max. 100 pts each)
    • Total: 480 pts, the final grade is determined as per the table below,
    < 40%: fail (1)
    40% - 55%: pass (2)
    55% - 70%: satisfactory (3)
    70% - 85%: good (4)
    85% < : excellent (5)

Schedule of the semester

  • First 2 classes: C# programming (individual work)
  • Next 4 classes: computer-control exercises (conducted in pairs), schedule to be determined

Submission Rules

  • Entrance Tests: Must be completed in the class, and submitted online via mobile or computer within 10 minutes of the session start time. Late arrivals will have less or no time, leading to a potential loss of points. Tests completed outside the classroom will receive zero points.
  • Lab Reports: Must be submitted within one week from the lab exercise, by Sunday midnight.  A one-time, one-week extension is allowed without penalty (must notify the tutors). Any further delay results in a 20-point deduction per week, until the score for the lab report reaches zero.
  • In case a report, measurement control program or written test is copied or plagiarized, it will automatically be evaluated to be the maximum score multiplied by negative one, regardless of the degree of copying.

Overview

The participants gain experience in computer controlled measurements and in the programming of scientific instruments and data acquisition system. To this end the following topics are covered: communication with the instruments via serial, GPIB, and USB ports. Programming of data acquisition cards. Programming of complex measurement control platforms, plotting and saving the data, in-situ data analysis. The course consists of 4 hour-long computer laboratory exercises every second week. In the first part of the semester fundamental programming skills are obtained through simple example programs. In the second part the participants program complex measurement control and data analysis problems, like nonlinear curve fitting by Monte Carlo method, computer control of a digital oscilloscope, and using a data acquisition card.