DATALINK: A Structural Laboratory On-Line Language

The M.I.T. DATALINK system is a complete computerized system for structural laboratory measurements. The system acquires the data, stores them, reduces them, and outputs them. It consists of special-purpose data acquisition hardware plus a general-purpose digital computer. The software provides a problem-oriented command structure in which the experimenter can express his instructions to the system without being restricted by a fixed data format. It was designed to be used by students and experienced experimenters with no background in computer programming. The user's on-line command in the English-like language is compiled into a compact internal code. The system executive interprets this code and calls into core from disk the appropriate subroutine to perform such functions as allocating files, assembling lists, setting up macros, printing, punching, calibrating transducers, reading and reducing data, computing principal strains and stresses, and any other desired computations. All computations and output are completed in real-time, that is, while the experiment is still in progress.