The new WAGR data acquisition scheme

The existing WAGR data acquisition equipment was inadequate to meet the requirements introduced by the installation of two additional experimental loops and was in any case due for replacement. A completely new scheme was planned and implemented based on mini-computers, which while preserving all the useful features of the old scheme provided additional flexibility and improved data display. Both the initial objectives of the design and the final implementation are discussed without introducing detailed descriptions of hardware or the programming techniques employed. Although the scheme solves a specific problem the general principles are more widely applicable and could readily be adapted to other data checking and display problems. (author)