Data, information, knowledge (wisdom) – closely related terms, layers. The information is contained in the data, knowledge is accessible when there is enough information, and it may all lead to wisdom. In the frames of the current course, the data is considered as the result of the measurement process. I.e. comparison between a known etalon and something we wish to measure. Instead of the measurement in general the course will be focused on the measurement of the electrical quantities, and only through them some underlying physical quantities. In other words, the typical data acquisition chain may be presented as:

  • Sensors convert physical parameters to electrical signals
  • Electrical signals will be conditioned for either direct use or for conversion into the digital domain
  • Analog-to-digital converters convert conditioned sensor signals to digital counterparts
  • Additional conditioning and processing is done
  • Storage communication and fusion may be present
  • Conversion between digital and analog domains may be needed
  • Data is used either in the analog or in the digital domain, or in both

At the end of the semester, the student should at least understand important concepts, links between them, and most importantly they should be able to find additional information if needed.

Picture https://www.stripecommunications.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Stripe-Data-Part-1.jpg