Endevco Working with National Instruments to
Lead Development of Open Standards with
"Plug and Play" Sensors Program
Endevco today announced a collaborative initiative
with National Instruments to promote widespread
adoption of IEEE P1451.4.
The Plug & Play Sensors Program aims to create an open
sensors standard, giving systems integrators and end users
the ability to automatically configure measurement and
automation systems for sensors. Systems integrators and
end users will be able to simplify sensor set-up, use, and
maintenance; automatically obtain calibration data; and
eliminate manual data entry and error.
IEEE P1451.4 proposes that sensors include an embedded,
low-cost memory chip containing standardized transducer
electronic data sheets (TEDS). TEDS store important sensor
information and parameters for self-identification and
self-description, eliminating the need to manually input this
data when configuring a system. NI has made a TEDS
library for LabVIEW(tm) available free and downloadable
from its web site at ni.com.
Through participation in the IEEE 1451.4 working group,
Endevco is working with NI to establish a standard TEDS
format that industry suppliers can use to develop sensors,
instruments and software. Endevco will be providing technical
papers and seminars to support its work with NI. These learning
strategies will encourage measurement professionals to
experiment with this new technology and see how minimal the
trade-offs of this new technology can be.
As part of the program, the companies are also exploring how
to expand plug and play capability to legacy sensors. Through
a proposed online database of sensor vendors' model data
on ni.com/sensors, users will be able to download TEDS binary
files, or Virtual TEDS, to their systems, instantly enabling
legacy sensors with plug and play capabilities. Virtual TEDS
provides a smooth transition to the next generation of measurement
and automation systems by allowing engineers to leverage new
sensor technology with their existing measurement hardware.
As the manufacturer of the smallest TEDS single axis and triaxial
accelerometers, Endevco will provide engineers with practical
advice on their use.
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December 2002
