Using Virtual Instruments in a Measurements Laboratory

Learning instrumentation and how to make measurements is important to all engineering students early in their academic careers. In many cases, knowing how an instrument works, aids in understanding limitations of instruments. Although learning how to use a single instrument is important, learning to use groups of instruments together to make required measurements and analyze the data is equally important. Virtual instruments can be used to teach all of these areas of instrumentation. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas Tech University uses its first project laboratory, offered in the second semester of the sophomore year, to cover measurements, instrumentation and other topics.