Nuts & Volts - January 2005

New Product News

Included with the IEEE 802.15.4-compliant Development Platform, OES-ZUSB-1000 is the following:

• One USB-based 802.15.4 radio transceiver.

• Five battery-operated ready sensors (endpoints), which can be configured as radio repeater/router units.

• Selected sensors.

• Software API and development utilities.

This platform allows for the potential integration of 802.15.4 wireless solutions into existing and prospective products. The IEEE 802.15.4-compliant Development Platform, OES-ZUSB-1000, is available for $2,950.00.

For more information, contact:

ONEARTH SOLUTIONS CORP.

5284 Randolph Rd. #216

Rockville, MD 20852

240-221-0256 Fax: 301-299-2142 Email: dalexander@onearthsolutions.com Web: www.onearthsolutions.com

Circle #152 on the Reader Service Card.

THERMOCOUPLE DATA LOGGER

F o r

E l e c t r o n i c s

NUTS & VOLTS E v e r y t h i n g

Pico Technology — the PC-based test and measurement company — has introduced a USB (v1.1) version of its popular TC-08 eight-channel thermocouple data logger. The new unit samples at up to 10 readings per second (more than twice the speed of the serial port version), features built-in cold junction compensation (CJC), and covers the temperature range of -270 to 1,820 degrees C.

The TC-08 can be used with thermocouple types B, E, J, K, N, R, S, and T and outputs can be viewed in degrees C or mV. The unit is accurate to 0.2 percent ±0.5 degrees C and has a resolution of better than 0.1 degrees C for most thermocouple types.

The TC-08’s USB connectivity allows multiple units to be run on a single PC, making it easy to create systems

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with up to 80 thermocouples. The TC-08 is supplied with PicoLog software free of charge. Full and demo versions of the PicoLog software can be downloaded from Pico Technology’s website.

Alan Tong, Pico Technology’s Technical Director, comments: “The serial version of the TC-08 was launched in 1995 and — with temperature being the most common parameter users wish to measure — quickly became one of our most popular data logging products. However, with serial ports no longer provided on modern PCs, customers had to buy serial-to-USB adapters — but no more. The new TC-08 connects to a PC via USB, dispensing with the need for an adapter and delivering enhanced performance.”

With the free PicoLog Recorder software, the user can configure multiple (USB) TC-08s, set the sampling interval from 0.1 seconds to several hours, and set the maximum number of readings. The user can also tell the PicoLog Recorder what to do once the thermocouple readings have been taken. Options include Stop; Repeat Immediately (start again); Scroll (oldest recordings disappear); or Repeat After Delay (where the delay is set by the user). The user can also perform mathematical operations on the thermocouple outputs. For example, the user can output one temperature relative to another.

Using PicoLog Recorder, TC-08 data can be viewed in a spreadsheet and/or in a graph as it is being recorded. TC-08 data collected from previous recordings can also be viewed in PicoLog Player. The TC-08 (USB version) is available immediately and retails for approximately $470.00, plus tax.

For more information, contact:

PICO TECHNOLOGY LTD. Mill House Cambridge St. St. Neots PE19 1QB United Kingdom + 44 1480 396395 Fax: + 44 1480 396296 Email: enquiry@picotech.com Web: www.picotech.com

Circle #114 on the Reader Service Card.

Working on Something Cool?

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