This laboratory assists in the selection, development and set-up of the electronic and computer interfaced equipment required by ongoing research activities. The staff of the laboratory evaluates the most suitable instrumentation and, if this is not available off the shelf, design and realize several kinds of interface cards using CAE software. They also develop and test the data acquisition and reduction software, using commercial graphical packages (LabView) which can be easily used by
operators without specific programming experience, such as undergraduate students.
The laboratory constantly interfaces with the laboratories of structures, flight mechanics and fluid dynamics and has acquired specific expertise in the:

• design and development of electronic components for three-axial positioning systems, of various sensors (e.g. television cameras and LVDT);
• design and development of signal conditioners for strain and crack gauges, both for dynamic and static tests;
• development of graphic software (LabView) for the simultaneous acquisition of multiple transducer signals from strain gauges, load cells and balances, displacement and position sensors, pressure and temperature transducers, etc.;
• operation and control of fatigue machines, using the potential drop technique for crack length measurements;
• design and development of both the hardware and software for the local net of the Flight Simulator and integration of several components, such as scenarios (by means of a 3D graphic engine) and stick force control system.