PlainDAQ PlainDAQ is a module that turns your Raspberry Pi Pico into a simple, precision 4-channel oscilloscope and a single channel function generator. Optionally it can also include a Wi-Fi module to add wireless capability to Raspberry Pi Pico modules.

To put it other words, PlainDAQ is a simple, useful tool to add basic precision analog functionality to your Raspberry Pi Pico board. It has a precision, low-noise, low-drift 12-bit 500kSPS/s ADC, sampling 4-channels and supporting 3 ranges (±1V, ±2V, ±4V). It also has a 10-bit DAC which helps create analog outputs and waveforms and it has a single range of ±4V.

Industrial Applications

PlainDAQ can be used in a wide array industrial applications, including remote data logging and control. With the help of open-source Python scripts and firmware, you can configure PlainDAQ however you like, and its Wi-Fi capability supports a variety of remote applications.

Educational Applications

I designed PlainDAQ, in part, to help people understand complex issues in electronics. Its ability to generate and capture waveforms can help students and hobbyists learn about the circuits they are building. As an affordable piece of multi-purpose lab equipment, PlainDAQ is the perfect addition to that first electronics lab.

In particular, I’ve found that people often struggle to understand the frequency-related aspects of analog electronics: frequency response, step response, filters, etc. To address this challenge, I designed I²C-controllable low-pass and high-pass filters that can draw power directly from PlainDAQ. Their cut-off frequencies can be set individually, and they can be cascaded to form band-pass and band-stop filters. By measuring their frequency-response and changing their cut-off frequencies, you can observe their behavior and improve your understanding of these concepts.

Features & Specifications

Analog Inputs:

• 4 Channels (multiplexed)
• 12-bit resolution, 72 dB SNR (11.6 ENOB, 4000:1 dynamic range)
• 500 kS/s sampling rate
• ±1 V, ±2 V, ±4 V bipolar range

Analog Output:

• 10-bit resolution
• 50 kS/s sampling rate
• ±4 V bipolar range

Voltage Reference:

• 2.5 V, 20 ppm/°C (Typical) Drift
• Calibrate to 0.05 %, Stored in as ROM as calibration data

Bipolar Voltage Supply:

• ±8 V power output.
• ±100 mA current rating.

ESP-WROOM-02D AT-Command Module:

• Simple UART interface to Raspberry Pico
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Shipped with ESP AT firmware

Open Source

PlainDAQ is open source and documented in the PlainDAQ public GitHub Repository.

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