Technology Report

pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc

An Inexpensive, Open-Source USB Arduino Data Acquisition Device

for Chemical Instrumentation
James P. Grinias, Jason T. Whiteld,, Erik D. Guetschow, and Robert T. Kennedy*,,

Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States

Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
*
S Supporting Information

ABSTRACT: Many research and teaching laboratories rely on USB data

acquisition devices to collect voltage signals from instrumentation. However,
these devices can be cost-prohibitive (especially when large numbers are needed
for teaching laboratories) and require software to be developed for operation. In
this article, we describe the development and use of an open-source USB data
acquisition device (with 16-bit acquisition resolution) built using simple
electronic components and an Arduino Uno that costs under $50. Additionally,
open-source software written in Python is included so that data can be acquired
using nearly any PC or Mac computer with a simple USB connection. Use of
the device was demonstrated for a sophomore-level analytical experiment using
gas chromatography and a capillary electrophoresis-UV separation on an
instrument used for research purposes.

KEYWORDS: Second-Year Undergraduate, Graduate Education/Research, Analytical Chemistry, Laboratory Instruction,

Computer-Based Learning, Instrumental Methods, Laboratory Computing/Interfacing, Laboratory Equipment/Apparatus

INTRODUCTION
Open-source microelectronics have become increasingly useful
HOW IT WORKS
The device utilizes an Arduino Uno and 16-bit analog-to-digital
in the eld of analytical chemistry due to their low cost and converter (ADC) (ADS1115, Adafruit Industries, New York)
integrated development interfaces.1 In the research lab,
microcontroller boards (such as the Arduino Uno) can be for control and data acquisition (Figure 1). The ADC, which
coupled to both in-house2 and portable3 instrumentation for
user control, data acquisition, and analysis. In undergraduate
teaching laboratories, these devices enable students to gain
hands-on experience with building and programming the
instrumentation used in class projects.4,5 Examples of
Arduino-based instrumentation used for laboratory experiments
include a photometer,6 automated burets,7,8 and a polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) thermocycler.4 During classroom
demonstrations, Arduinos have been used to couple sensors
such as pH meters or thermometers to either large LCD
displays9 or real-time data graphs that can be displayed on a
digital projector.10 In this technology report, we describe an in-
house developed Arduino-based circuit for electronic data
acquisition. While data acquisition schemes using Arduinos
have been reported for other instruments,1113 this setup Figure 1. Photograph of the Arduino Uno, the ADS1115 Analog-to-
utilizes open-source software written in Python to enable easy, Digital Converter placed onto a circuit breadboard, and the wiring
low-cost data acquisition compatible with any PC or Mac. With connections needed for the data acquisition device.
all of the necessary software and hardware instructions
provided here, this device can be a useful alternative for Received: April 18, 2016
USB-driven data acquisition devices requiring more expensive Revised: June 2, 2016
software packages.14,15 Published: June 22, 2016
2016 American Chemical Society and
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. 1316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00262
J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93, 13161319
Journal of Chemical Education Technology Report

Figure 2. Comparison of data collected (and normalized to 1 V) using pre-existing software (red traces) to the Arduino-ADS1115 device described
in this paper (black traces, oset by 1 V for clarity). In panel A, the separation of 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol (with air as a dead-time
marker) on a packed GC column for a sophomore-level analytical lab is shown. In panel B, the separation of thiourea, dopamine, and serine with a
commercial capillary electrophoresis-UV research instrument is demonstrated. Full information on the separation conditions and instrumentation
can be found in the Supporting Information.

enables higher resolution data acquisition than is possible with conducted. Within our analytical teaching laboratory (a
an Arduino Uno alone, is mounted on a solderless breadboard sophomore-level course typically enrolling about 20 students
and connected to the microcontroller via jumper cables (full in a 4 h laboratory period led by a teaching assistant), one two-
circuit diagrams for setup are provided in the Supporting period experiment involves the separation and identication of
Information). Though not shown here, an electronics enclosure alcohols by gas chromatography with a thermal conductivity
can be used to protect the device from laboratory spills if detector (GC-TCD). In Figure 2A, chromatograms from the
needed. During use, the Arduino is connected to a standard separation of three alcohols (air as dead-time marker, 1-
USB-port on any laptop or desktop computer to supply power propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol) on a packed GC column
(up to 5 V at 500 mA) and enable data acquisition. The entire acquired using the existing LabJack interface and the Arduino-
cost of the setup shown in Figure 1 is under $50, which is one- based device described here are compared. The chromatograms
half to one-third the cost of widely used, commercially available are identical, demonstrating that this open-source device is a
USB data acquisition devices. Details on parts and vendors for low-cost replacement for the current data acquisition scheme
the device described here, as well as a table of direct used in the teaching lab. Although not implemented here, the
comparisons with ve commercial USB devices, are included actual building of the Arduino device could also be
in the Supporting Information. incorporated into a laboratory experiment that uses the device
The open-source software used to control this device was for added hands-on experience with open-source electronics.4,6
developed in Python. A Python-based toolset for instrument In our own research group, the Arduino Uno was used to
control using Arduinos called Instrumentino was previously acquire data directly from an Agilent 7100 CE instrument with
described,16 but we have used a dierent set of routines to integrated UV detection. Here, the data acquired by the
simplify the user interface for USB data acquisition. On the manufacturer software are the same as those obtained with the
instrument front panel (see the Supporting Information), users Uno and Python software for the separation of thiourea,
are able to select the serial port for data transfer to the dopamine, and serine (Figure 2B).
connected computer, the analog input channel for data For many time-based experiments on home-built instrumen-
acquisition, the data acquisition rate, the le time length, and tation where acquisition rates up to 500 Hz are sucient, such
the le path/name. The data are output as a tab-delimited text as amperometry or chromatography, this device is an ideal
le and can easily be replotted and analyzed in any spreadsheet option for data acquisition with 16-bit signal resolution.
or graphing program. Although data acquisition rates up to 860 Commercially available devices capable of 16-bit data
Hz are possible with the ADC breakout board, the maximum acquisition can exceed $300, making them potentially
rate was limited to 500 Hz in the software to ensure stable data unsuitable for large-scale deployment in teaching settings.
acquisition over time. This rate is lower than that achievable by Many instruments are able to send a digital signal (via relay or
many commercial USB data acquisition setups but is sucient contact closure) to trigger data acquisition. An option to detect
for most classroom17 and laboratory experiments18 (excluding this external trigger using a digital input on the Arduino is
the use of ultrafast techniques19,20 and oversampling lters21). included in the software (see the Supporting Information) to
A key advantage of the open-source software is that it can be enable further integration with existing instrumentation. The
installed on nearly any PC or Mac computer (including student device described in this report enables logging of voltage signals
laptops, if so desired) without a software license, which can be a from both commercial and home-built instrumentation into our
costly addition to data acquisition setups depending on the open-source software that can be used on nearly any computer
program.

at a lower cost than that of many commercial alternatives. To

further reduce costs, other parts of chemical instrumentation
USING THE DEVICE such as ow control22 and detection6,23 can also be constructed
To demonstrate the use of the Arduino Uno-based data and controlled with microcontroller devices whether for
acquisition device with our open-source software and compare research or teaching needs. With such home-built detectors,
it to commercial acquisition modes, experiments commonly there is a need to convert a chemical signal into a voltage that
found in teaching and research laboratory settings were can be detected; the study of these circuits can be added to the
1317 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00262
J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93, 13161319
Journal of Chemical Education Technology Report

curriculum in both undergraduate and graduate analytical Drone: Toward Pinpoint Deployment of Smartphone-Enabled Nucleic
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Corresponding Author (15) Antler, M.; Salin, E.; Wilczek-Vera, G. Teaching Data
*E-mail: [email protected]. Acquisition. An Undergraduate Experiment in the Advanced Analytical
Chemistry Laboratory. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82 (3), 425.
Notes (16) Koenka, I. J.; Saiz, J.; Hauser, P. C. Instrumentino: An Open-
The authors declare no competing nancial interest. Source Modular Python Framework for Controlling Arduino Based

Experimental Instruments. Comput. Phys. Commun. 2014, 185 (10),

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 27242729.
(17) Bender, T. A.; Booth, J.; Walker, E. B. Fast Analytical
The authors would like to acknowledge James Vollmers, Mou- Separations with High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography. J. Chem.
Chi Cheng, and Daniel Steyer for help with acquiring the GC Educ. 2013, 90 (8), 10611063.
data, Claire Ouimet for help with acquiring the CE data, and (18) Wahab, M. F.; Dasgupta, P. K.; Kadjo, A. F.; Armstrong, D. W.
Brian Coppola for helpful discussions regarding this manu- Sampling Frequency, Response Times and Embedded Signal Filtration
script. This project was supported by NIH Grant R37 in Fast, High Efficiency Liquid Chromatography: A Tutorial. Anal.
EB003320 to R.T.K., NIH F32 Grant EB019800 to J.P.G., Chim. Acta 2016, 907, 3144.
the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical (19) Mallon, C.; Keyes, T. E.; Forster, R. J. Ultrafast Electrochemical
Chemistry Graduate Fellowship sponsored by Eli Lilly and Techniques. In Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry; John Wiley &
Company to E.D.G., and the University of Michigan Under- Sons, Ltd: Chichester, UK, 2013.
(20) Guetschow, E. D.; Kumar, S.; Lombard, D. B.; Kennedy, R. T.
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