A data acquisition system is a collection of software and hardware that lets you measure or control physical characteristics of something in the real world. Data acquisition systems may be used to measure sound, vibration, strain pressure, force, temperature, and other parameters.

A typical system consists of:

• Data acquisition (DAQ) hardware from vendors like NI, Measurement Computing, or Data Translation
• Sensors and actuators
• Signal conditioning hardware
• A computer running DAQ software

With MATLAB^® and Data Acquisition Toolbox™, you can build data acquisition systems using popular DAQ hardware. Data Acquisition Toolbox lets you discover DAQ hardware that is connected to your data acquisition system, providing a workflow for analyzing the data as you collect it. The toolbox provides apps like the Analog Input Recorder app that lets you configure your hardware so you can immediately collect and visualize your data . With the Signal Analyzer app (4:28), you can apply filtering and signal processing techniques to the data you have collected in your data acquisition system.