Mittauskanavaa

Mittauskanavaa, or measurement channel in English, refers to a single signal path in a measurement system that carries a physical quantity from a sensor to a data processing or display unit. In practice, a measurement channel includes the sensor interface, signal conditioning, and often an analog-to-digital converter. A device with multiple channels provides several independent measurement paths; channels can be configured as single-ended or differential to improve noise rejection through common-mode handling.

Key components and functions of a measurement channel include amplification, filtering, linearization, and, if needed, isolation from other circuitry. Signal conditioning may also involve cold-junction compensation for thermocouples, calibration offsets, and gain adjustments to map the sensor output to the input range of the ADC. The analog-to-digital converter converts the conditioned signal to digital data at a defined resolution and sampling rate. Each channel typically has a scaling formula to convert ADC counts to physical units and may require periodic calibration to correct drift and offset errors.

In data acquisition and instrumentation, channels can be multiplexed to share ADC resources or implemented as separate, parallel paths. Software assigns properties such as input range, unit, and measurement limits for each channel, enabling data logging, visualization, and analysis. Considerations for the performance of a measurement channel include input impedance, noise and drift, electrical isolation, shielding, and adherence to relevant safety and measurement standards.

The term is Finnish in origin, with cognates in other languages referring to a single measurement path used in scientific and industrial instrumentation.