Manuals - Bulletins - Drawings

600A Digital Controller >> Click to enlarge picture

Features

• Complete data acquisition, control and analysis system
• Includes: control/analysis program, PC, 16-bit A/D hardware, signal interface and cables
• High resolution A/D: 16-bit A/D and 16-bit D/A
• Data Sampling Rate: Main program - 10 Hz to 10 kHz, Scope - 1 Hz to 100Hz
• Provides Force Control using software proportional/derivative control algorithm
• Provides SL Control using software proportional/derivative control algorithm (requires 901A High speed Video Sarcomere Length for SL Measurement)
• Allows a length controller to operate as a force controller when using a high-speed length controller and a separate force transducer
• Controls all ASI lever systems, force transducers and stimulators
• Provides software control of stimulation parameters: pulse width, pulse frequency, frequency duration, train frequency and train duration
• Maintains timing accuracy of 10µs by using a Real-Time operating system (Linux-RT)
• Test protocol editor - allows the user to create custom test protocols
• Protocol Functions: length, force and SL control (requires HVSL system for SL Measurement), stimulator control, data acquisition controls, gain and damping factors for software force and SL control, repeat and stop
• Protocol Timing: can be controlled to 0.1 msec
• Scope module - real-time scrolling data display that stores up to 4 hours of data, can also log data to disk
• Analysis module - provides plotting, zooming and analysis of collected signals

The 600A Digital Controller was designed to enable physiology researchers to study the dynamic mechanical characteristics of muscle tissue. The system is capable of controlling and taking data from all of our 300B series muscle levers, our 400A series of force transducers and our 700A series of stimulators. The 600A can also be used with other manufacturer's instruments. A unique feature of our 600A is its software force control capability. The 600A provides force control when using a length controller and a separate force transducer. This force control mode can generate critically damped step changes in force in as little as 1.0 millisecond.

Complete System

The 600A Digital Controller consists of: custom software for data acquisition, instrument control and data analysis, a small-footprint PC, a 16-bit data acquisition card, a model 604C Signal Interface and all required interconnecting cables.

Easy to Use Graphical User Interface

The software has an easy-to-use graphical user interface and is written using the C programming language. The software collects high-resolution length and force data while controlling the length and force of the muscle tissue under test. Collected data can then be plotted and analyzed within the program. The 600A program also includes a real-time scrolling display of the current length and force. This scrolling display can be frozen at any time and then up to 4 hours of data can be reviewed.

Real-Time Operating System

A unique feature of the 600A Digital Controller is that the PC uses a real-time operating system (Linux-RT). This ensures that time critical data acquisition and control tasks are controlled with a timing accuracy of better than 10µs regardless of what other programs and processes are being run on the computer at the same time. This is not the case with other PC operating systems such as Windows or DOS.

Signal Interface

A model 604C Signal Interface is included with the system. This interface allows the researcher to easily connect length controllers, force transducers and stimulators to the A/D system. The 604C is housed in a 19" rack-mount case that is 1U (1.75") high. All connections to the A/D card are available via front panel BNC connectors. In order to make the system as "turn-key" as possible we also include BNC to BNC patch cables to make all of the necessary connections between a length controller, a force transducer, a stimulator and the 600A Digital Controller.

600A Software Specifications

Operating System: Linux-RT
Language: C
Interface: GUI (Windows-type), drop down menus.
Test Protocol Functions: Data Enable, Data Disable, Gain Factor, Damping Factor, Length Step, Length Ramp, Length Sine, Length Sawtooth, Length Square, Force Step, Force Ramp, Force Sine, Force Sawtooth, Force Square, Record Fmax, SL Sample, SL Hold, SL Step, SL Ramp, SL Gain, SL Damping, Stimulus, Trigger, Repeat, Stop.
Sampling Rate: 10 Hz to 10,000 Hz.

Analysis Module
Plot: Length In, Length Out, Force In, Force Out, Velocity, dF/dt, Stimulus, Triggers, and SL vs Time.
Zoom Graph: Set cursors and zoom in on a selected region.
Filter Data: Savitsky-Golay Filter Order.

Scope Module
Display: Length In, Length Out, Force In, Force Out in real-time.
Time base: 10s to 1 hr.
Scaling: auto or fixed.
Data Recording: unlimited time, only limited by hard drive size.
Sampling Rate: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Hz.
Display Freeze: display can be frozen and then up to the last 4 hours of data can be reviewed.

Software User Manual

The User Manual for the 600A Digital Controller can be downloaded in Portable Document Format (PDF) and viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free from Adobe. Click here to download Acrobat Reader.

Click on the manual title to download it.

Instruction Manual - Model 600A Digital Controller