hardwaretriggered

hardwaretriggered is a term used to describe events, processes, or systems that are initiated by a hardware signal rather than by software commands. It emphasizes timing determinism and synchronization across devices, making it common in measurement, imaging, and automation applications where precise control of start, stop, or sampling points is required.

In practice, a device with a hardware trigger provides one or more trigger input interfaces. A trigger can be an electrical edge (rising or falling) or a level signal, typically using TTL or differential signaling. The triggering source may be an external instrument, a PLC, a timing system, or another piece of equipment. Devices may support pre-trigger buffering, post-trigger readout, or retriggering to capture data across defined time windows.

Advantages of hardwaretriggered operation include lower latency and jitter than software-triggered approaches, independence from operating system scheduling, and reliable synchronization of multiple devices. This makes hardwaretriggered setups well suited for high-speed imaging, synchronized data acquisition, laser control, and industrial automation where reproducibility and determinism are essential.

Key design considerations involve signal integrity and compatibility, including voltage levels, impedance, and isolation; noise immunity; cable length and routing; jitter tolerance; and whether the system requires edge- or level-triggered behavior. Some setups use a master hardware trigger to coordinate several instruments, while others use individual hardware triggers for local actions.

Overall, hardwaretriggered workflows prioritize timing precision and coordination, trading some flexibility for predictable, repeatable performance in time-critical contexts.