Real World Instrumentation with Python

Chapter 1. Introduction to Instrumentation

However far modern science and technics have fallen short of their inherent possibilities, they have taught mankind at least one lesson: Nothing is impossible.

—Lewis Mumford, Technics and Civilization, 1934

Instrumentation is a big word, with a broad and rich set of meanings. Like most words with multiple interpretations, the exact meaning is largely a function of the context in which it is used, and who is using it.

Instrumentation can be defined as the application of instruments, in the form of systems or devices, to accomplish some specific objective in terms of measurement or control, or both. Some examples of physical measurements employed in instrumentation systems are listed in Table 1-1.

Table 1-1. Examples of physical measurements

Acceleration	Mass
Capacitance	Position
Chemical properties	Pressure
Conductivity	Radiation
Current	Resistance
Flow rate	Temperature
Frequency	Velocity
Inductance	Viscosity
Luminosity	Voltage

As natural human language is an imprecise communications medium, contextually sensitive and rife with multiple possible meanings, the preceding definition still covers a lot of territory. To a process engineer, it might mean pressure sensors, heater elements, solenoid-controlled valves, and conveyors. A research scientist might think of lasers, optical power sensors, servo-driven X-Y microscope stages, and event counters. An electrical engineer might define instrumentation as digital voltmeters, oscilloscopes, frequency counters, spectrum ...