The Electronics Shop is a full-featured design and testing laboratory tasked with acquiring, characterizing, and maintaining sensors required to perform experiments at the MHL. We stock a range of load cells, programmable ultrasonic distance sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, inclinometers, LVDTs, and more. The Shop has general use power supplies and “True RMS” NIST-traceable multimeters as well as a top-of-the-line high-frequency power meter for DC and AC motor characterization. We use National Instruments equipment for data acquisition, with lock-in amplifiers available to capture very small signals, and we employ a standardized connector system with the TEDS interface (basically, an electronic instrument tag) in order to streamline the setup, calibration, and documentation processes. We also supply accessories such as underwater lights and high-speed and/or underwater video cameras. Developing custom instruments and equipment for a given test are completely within the realm of our abilities here at the Electronics Shop.
