The software simulation of gauges, control-knobs, meters and indicators which behave just like real hardware components on a PC’s screen is known as virtual instrumentation.

In this book, the Delphi program is used to create these mimics and PIC based external sensors are connected via a USB/RS232 converter communication link to a PC.

Detailed case studies in this Book include a virtual compass displayed on the PC’s screen, a virtual digital storage oscilloscope, virtual -50 to +125 degree C thermometer, and FFT sound analyser, a joystick mouse and many examples detailing virtual instrumentation Delphi components. Arizona’s embedded microcontrollers – the PIC's are used in the projects and include PIC16F84A, PIC16C71, DSPIC30F6012A, PIC16F877, PIC12F629 and the PIC16F887. Much use is made of Microchip’s 44 pin development board (a virtual instrument ‘engine)’, equipped with a PIC16F887 with an onboard potentiometer in conjunction with the PIC’s ADC to simulate the generation of a variable voltage from a sensor/transducer, a UART to enable PC RS232 communications and a bank of 8 LED's to monitor received data is also equipped with an ISP connector to which the ‘PICKIT 2’ programmer may easily be connected.

Full source code examples are provided both for several different PIC’s, both in assembler and C, together with the Pascal code for the Delphi programs which use different 3rd party Delphi virtual components.