Modern science and engineering relies heavily on understanding computer hardware and software in order to make effective use of these tools in the laboratory and industrial environments. The authors of Modern Instrumentation: A Computer Approach have succeeded in producing a highly readable source that will serve both newcomers to the field as well as experienced professionals. Including both fundamentals and applications, the book first describes the role of the computer in instrument systems and provides numerous practical examples. The second part of the book explores specific software packages and their capabilities for applications such as, instrument design and simulation, data acquisition, data processing, and the potential of artificial intelligence in instrument design. Because of the full integration of theory with practical applications of leading software packages, this book is an extremely useful reference for those who use computer-based instrument technology for data acquisition and who are involved with hardware or software development for laboratory and process control.

Natural hazards and anthropic activities threaten the human environment. The gathering of field data is needed so as to quantify the impact of such activities. To gather the necessary data researchers nowadays use a great variety of new instruments based on electronics. Yet, the working principles of this new instrumentation might not be well understood by some potential users. All operators of these new tools must gain proper insight so as to be able to judge whether the instrument is selected appropriately and functions adequately. This book attempts to demonstrate some characteristics that are not easy to understand by the uninitiated in the use of electronic instruments. The material presented in this book was prepared with the purpose of reflecting the technological changes that have occurred in environmental modern instrumentation in the last few decades. The book is intended for students of hydrology, hydraulics, oceanography, meteorology and environmental sciences. Basic concepts of electronics, special physics principles and signal processing are introduced in the first chapters in order to enable the reader to follow the topics developed in the book, without any prior knowledge of these matters. The instruments are explained in detail and several examples are introduced to show their measuring limitations. Enough mathematical fundamentals are given to allow the reader to reach a good quantitative knowledge.

This modern presentation comprehensively addresses the principal issues in modern instrumentation, but without attempting an encyclopaedic reference. It covers the most important topics in electronics, sensors, measurements and acquisition systems, and will be an indispensable reference for readers in a wide variety of disciplines.

While research on ultrasonics has been covered in earlier volumes of the Physical Acoustics series, Volumes 23 and 24 demonstrate the successful commercialization of devices and instruments arising from research in this area. These volumes will assist in the process of bringing research output into the marketplace to the benefit of customers.The chapters are liberally illustrated with pictures of actual commercial objects which have been or are in use. Included are Medical Ultrasonic Diagnostics, Nondestructive Testing (NDT), Acoustic Emission, Process Control, Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Devices, Frequency Control Devices, Research Instruments, Transducers, and Ultrasonic Microscopes. Also contained in the text are six essays covering technology transfer and commercialization.