Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

Hi EPICS users,

 

I am beginning to explore the idea of using EPICS as the basis for automated-control data feedback loops in the context of high-intensity-laser plasma experiments. The experimental repetition rates vary between 1 Hz and 1 kHz, depending on the facility. Typical devices in the pipeline include cameras, fast digitizers, slow digitizers, motor controls, oscilloscopes, etc. Recently I have been also been working on developing custom embedded systems based on microcontrollers, that can do some early on-board distributed pre-analysis of data.

 

As I explore EPICS, I have a couple of introductory questions for which I think you could quickly help.

 

1. Is there support for using microcontrollers as EPICS clients? E.g. ethernet-enabled Arduinos or STM32 Nucleo Boards.
2. Am I correct in my understanding that EPICS is meant primarily for managing systems data and systems control, rather than the core scientific data from an experiment (e.g. bandwidth-heavy high-speed cameras with 300 Hz image updates, fast digitizers, etc)?
3. If my understanding is correct, do you know of any similar projects relating to managing the data pipeline for acquisition and storage of high-bandwidth, non-feedback-control scientific data?

 

Thank you!

 

Scott

 

Scott Feister

Assistant Professor, Computer Science

California State University Channel Islands

scott.feister at csuci.edu