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PDF (double-sided) - Physics Department, UCSB - University of ...

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7.2.4 Performance<br />

Last, but certainly not least, the platform has to be able to deliver enough<br />

performance to not limit the data rate beyond the physical limits imposed by the<br />

experimental setup itself. Since the rate at which data can be collected directly<br />

impacts the group’s turn-around time, any slowdown due to the s<strong>of</strong>tware will<br />

translate directly into an undesirable overall slowdown <strong>of</strong> the project’s rate <strong>of</strong><br />

progress. I will call this requirement the Performance Requirement.<br />

7.3 Approach<br />

To address these issues, Matthew Neeley and I developed a platform called<br />

LabRAD. RAD is a programming acronym that stands for Rapid Application<br />

Development and usually refers to visual programming environments like Delphi.<br />

LabRAD is based on a set <strong>of</strong> core ideas that help attack the above listed<br />

requirements.<br />

7.3.1 Modularity<br />

The most important concept for the development <strong>of</strong> LabRAD was the Modularity<br />

Requirement. Being able to break the project up into small pieces not<br />

only allows for more rapid progress thanks to parallel development <strong>of</strong> indepen-<br />

128

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