LPM, current, voltage, and temp USB logger - feeler

A while ago I designed a circuit to simultaneously measure optical power, voltage, current, and temperature, as well as log the data via USB. This would enable concurrent PIVT (optical power, current, voltage, and temperature) graphs to be quickly and easily generated.
The idea is not new, and the circuit is relatively simple. However, I have not seen such a unit here before. If there is enough interest, I would like to release the design, and potentially sell assembled and unassembled kits. The project would not be complete for a month or two, but I want to gauge the interest of the community before I devote more of my time.

Once / if the project is finished, it would be open source in that the schematic and source code would be freely available for anyone to modify and improve.

The logger would have inputs for true thermopiles, and DIY TEC thermopiles.
There would also be voltage and current inputs.
The temperature feature would accept input from a thermistor.

I suspect the price would be $40 - $50 for an unassembled kit.

Keep in mind this is a very tentative feeler. Please, tell me what you think! :yh:

Is this only PIVT measuring or also controlling? Making a PIVT curve would then need an addictional laser diode driver and temperature controller.
I'm curious, but I have my all my test equipment hooked up via GPIB, so I'm not that likely to buy.

No, my original idea did not include the current source, or temp controller. A current source would be easy to add, but I doubt a TEC temp controller would be as easy.

This is phenominal - both the idea (which I haven't seen in an affordable package anywhere else before) - and the concept of how you're approaching it.

I think this is a great initiative, and a great model for approaching projects in a hobby community. IE, releasing the design openly, yet selling completed units and kits to those who want convenience. I hope the model works well for you, and represents a balance between making it worth your time, and simultaneously a project that rewards the community.

A million times over, thumbs way up

Sounds like a very useful tool for the serious laser diode hobbyist.
And for the price of one laser diode.....
What's there not to like?

laser_freak said:

A while ago I designed a circuit to simultaneously measure optical power, voltage, current, and temperature, as well as log the data via USB. This would enable concurrent PIVT (optical power, current, voltage, and temperature) graphs to be quickly and easily generated.
The idea is not new, and the circuit is relatively simple. However, I have not seen such a unit here before. If there is enough interest, I would like to release the design, and potentially sell assembled and unassembled kits. The project would not be complete for a month or two, but I want to gauge the interest of the community before I devote more of my time.

Once / if the project is finished, it would be open source in that the schematic and source code would be freely available for anyone to modify and improve.

The logger would have inputs for true thermopiles, and DIY TEC thermopiles.
There would also be voltage and current inputs.
The temperature feature would accept input from a thermistor.

I suspect the price would be $40 - $50 for an unassembled kit.

Keep in mind this is a very tentative feeler. Please, tell me what you think! :yh:

Click to expand...

Do you have any pics of the circuit that you built and some
Sreen Shots of the USB Data logging PC screen....

Sounds interesting for that price...

Jerry

lasersbee said:

Do you have any pics of the circuit that you built (...) Jerry

Click to expand...

He may or may not have photos of his design, but if you'd like, I'll show you a preview photo of the LPM I've been designing. I'm really concerned about people appropriating my ideas though, so I'd ask that you not share this photo with anyone else:
"Laser Turtle LPM" - Advanced Preview Photos

I expect to have the "Laser Turtle LPM" ready for production/sale very shortly. Unrelated question - how quickly can you ship me a whole bunch of LaserBees ?

(I *think* this should go without saying... but that was a joke )

rhd said:

He may or may not have photos of his design, but if you'd like, I'll show you a preview photo of the LPM I've been designing. I'm really concerned about people appropriating my ideas though, so I'd ask that you not share this photo with anyone else:
"Laser Turtle LPM" - Advanced Preview Photos

I expect to have the "Laser Turtle LPM" ready for production/sale very shortly. Unrelated question - how quickly can you ship me a whole bunch of LaserBees ?

(I *think* this should go without saying... but that was a joke )

Click to expand...

:crackup::crackup::crackup::crackup:
Faster than any LPM seller on LPF... I have them
on the shelf and ready to ship...
Just waiting for your PP payment to clear.....:eg:



Jerry

I spit juice this time, hahahahaha.

@LF. Great idea bro, and all the power too you.

I am glad there is interest in this.

lasersbee, at this point in time I do not have any pictures. It is still in its early stage of development and prototyping. Currently the software is nonexistent. My priority is the hardware for now.

I will be extremely busy with personal matters for the next week, but I will continue gauging the interest expressed in this thread.

Can you please send me to the website where I buy this LMP?

rhd said:

He may or may not have photos of his design, but if you'd like, I'll show you a preview photo of the LPM I've been designing. I'm really concerned about people appropriating my ideas though, so I'd ask that you not share this photo with anyone else:
"Laser Turtle LPM" - Advanced Preview Photos

I expect to have the "Laser Turtle LPM" ready for production/sale very shortly. Unrelated question - how quickly can you ship me a whole bunch of LaserBees ?

(I *think* this should go without saying... but that was a joke )

Click to expand...

I can help you out in the software area if you're interested.

What sort of precision would your hardware offer?

-Trevor

Thank you for the offer to help with the software.

There are still many unknowns about this project. Precision is one of them. I have been experimenting with my prototypes to find the best precision to cost ratio. I do not want to specify any numbers right now, for they are likely to change often.

As soon as the circuit design is finalized I will post the specifications so people can begin coding software if they wish.

Cool. As long as the stream is standardized and extensible, I can work with it.

-Trevor

Trevor:

It might be neat to add a function to the software that would take the results and hash them, producing some sort of 32 digit string (or something similar) that could be posted in threads and would basically contain some of the measured stats. Would be easy enough to make web apps that could take that string and use it to present the data.

One word: CSV.

Not only can it be imported into excel and graphed, I could also write a web app to process it.

-Trevor