[comp.sys.mac.hardware] Interfacing Macintosh to measurement/control hardware

jess@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Jess M Holle) (05/17/91)

I am presently working on an undergraduate research project at Purdue. It
involves measurement and control equipment such as servos, CMM's, and
a laser interferometer. All of this is interfaced to an IBM compatible (of
course). As I learn more about this system, I wonder how difficult it would
be, in comparison, to handle this with a Macintosh.

I am aware of LabView II, but understand that its speed is limited. I am
more interested in something along the lines of a handcrafted C program
at the controls.

That is, of course, just the software end of things. How easy/available/
standard are the hardware interfaces for this type of thing.

Note that I am not interested in switching from the present system, but just
curious how the Mac would handle it (I prefer the Mac, but this system has
too much work/$$$ into it to change and seems well suited to the purpose).

Please refrain from another flame war, which will only force me to put this
subject in my kill file.

Jess Holle