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Data Acquisition (DAQ)

What is DAQ?

DAQ is the process of measuring an electrical or physical phenomenon, such as voltage, current, temperature, pressure, or sound. A DAQ system consists of sensors, DAQ measurement hardware, and a computer with programmable software.

an ni data acquisition system collects test data from a car

Data Acquisition Basics and Technology

group image of ni pxi, field daq, compact daq, and flexlogger software

Turning Real-World Data into Insights

group image of ni pxi, field daq, compact daq, and flexlogger software

Every data acquisition task has its own set of requirements. To help meet your unique needs, NI products range from plug-and-play DAQ devices for fixed and repeatable measurements, to scalable and flexible modular DAQ systems. Our versatile driver is extended by NI data acquisition-specific software and supports third-party programming languages.

Accurate

Accurate

Maximize the absolute accuracy of your measurements with NI’s industry-leading performance for automated data acquisition.

Flexible

Flexible

Build mixed-measurement systems tailored to your needs and swap out or add hardware as your needs change.

Scalable

Scalable

Choose from hardware options that let you control multiple data acquisition systems as part of one synchronized application.

Programmable

Programmable

Program your hardware with the same API in your choice of language, including G, Python, ANSI C, C#, and .NET. Or, use interactive software without writing code.

Systems

DAQ System Options

NI offers PC-based systems with plug-and-play DAQ devices with fixed functionality or configurable systems that let you mix and match hardware.

  • PC-Based Systems PC-Based Systems
    ni usb daq system

    Achieve electrical and physical measurements with a customizable, accurate, yet cost-effective way to conduct benchtop measurements.

  • CompactDAQ CompactDAQ
    ni compact daq controller

    This portable, flexible approach is ideal for applications with a wide mix of measurement types, where scalability and flexibility are important. Hardware ruggedness makes it a great fit for high-channel-count distributed applications in the field.

  • CompactRIO CompactRIO
    ni compactrio controller

    Take advantage of real-time data processing capabilities, sensor-specific conditioned I/O, and a closely integrated software toolchain for long-running, industrial data acquisition applications.

  • PXI PXI
    ni pxie-1092 chassis

    Use this modular approach for high-channel-count data acquisition and sensor measurement applications. Systems range from tens to hundreds of channels, mixing and matching measurement functionality and output capabilities.

ni usb daq system

PC-Based Systems

Achieve electrical and physical measurements with a customizable, accurate, yet cost-effective way to conduct benchtop measurements.

ni compact daq controller

CompactDAQ

This portable, flexible approach is ideal for applications with a wide mix of measurement types, where scalability and flexibility are important. Hardware ruggedness makes it a great fit for high-channel-count distributed applications in the field.

ni compactrio controller

CompactRIO

Take advantage of real-time data processing capabilities, sensor-specific conditioned I/O, and a closely integrated software toolchain for long-running, industrial data acquisition applications.

ni pxie-1092 chassis

PXI

Use this modular approach for high-channel-count data acquisition and sensor measurement applications. Systems range from tens to hundreds of channels, mixing and matching measurement functionality and output capabilities.

Devices

Find the Right DAQ Hardware

NI's DAQ products are divided into categories to help you easily find options that meet your needs. Select by measurement type, such as temperature or strain, or common form factors, including USB.

Software

Control Your DAQ System

NI’s DAQ devices include the NI-DAQmx driver, utilities, and getting-started examples. It integrates with development environments such as LabVIEW, or application software such as FlexLogger™ software, to create an application without coding.

How to Choose

Selecting DAQ Hardware

Identifying the right DAQ system or device for your project requires considering many factors. Here are some helpful resources to guide you toward an approach that delivers the data you need to make business decisions.

sine wave

Choosing the Right Hardware

screenshot from ni flexlogger with diagram of airplane

Choosing between DAQ Systems

close up of ports on pxi module

Building a Measurement System

  • Customer Stories

    NASA’s DAS Software for Rocket-Propulsion Testing

    Stennis Space Center, one of 10 NASA field centers in the U.S., developed nonproprietary data acquisition system software to support government and commercial rocket engine testing at multiple test facilities.

    Customer Stories
 

The software and hardware environment need for fast, convenient, and stable system development is indispensable, and NI has it all.

Dr. Zhizhong Wang

China Steel Corporation

microphones used for acoustic measurements

Additional DAQ Resources

microphones used for acoustic measurements

Sensors that convert real-world phenomena (such as temperature or pressure) into measurable currents and voltages are essential to data acquisition. Learn more about sensors through practical examples in our tutorials.