A multi-channel simultaneous data acquisition and waveform generator system designed for medical applications

To meet the needs of our research programmes on auditory prostheses for the totally deaf, a 15-channel data acquisition and waveform generator system with flexible triggering, pacing and linking was developed. It allows both synchronous and asynchronous operation at high speed. Each channel of the system, which is controlled by a simple personal computer, has an on-board microcontroller, a 512 kWord signal memory, a voltage input and both voltage and current outputs. The system includes a master pacer and trigger unit with elaborate hardware and software triggering options. This paper describes the system hardware and the software used to control it. Finally, some of its application are demonstrated. The flexibility of the system makes it widely applicable in the field of biomedical engineering.