Wireless Ethernet-Based Data Acquisition System (WEBDAS)

The feasibility of extremely low-power wireless RF sensors has been demonstrated by Invocon, Inc. and others, but the application of the technology to broader applications, particularly ground test systems, has been limited. Ground test facilities must be capable of providing reliable, laboratory grade instrumentation capabilities as part of a reconfigurable architecture in sometimes extreme environments, while simultaneously considering purchase costs, maintenance and operations costs, and upgrade costs. The proposed system shall enable the use of existing Ethernet hardware and Web-based IT resources for the configuration, acquisition, transmission and display of sensor data from extremely low-power RF sensors. Standard facility and experiment monitoring functions such as set points, alarms, data logging, and status displays will be provided, as well as the capability to integrate wireless sensor data into existing third party data acquisition and analysis tools available at the NASA ground test facilities. Configuration of individual sensors will be via a Web browser, and sensor output will be available anywhere with Internet access. By providing widespread access to miniature RF sensors, this system will enable the creation of a highly flexible, scalable, robust, wireless instrumentation backbone, which can be integrated with the existing resources of NASA rocket engine ground test facilities.