PyVISA: the Python instrumentation package

GRECCO, HERNÁN E.; DARTIAILH, MATTHIEU C.; THALHAMMER-THURNER, GREGOR; BRONGER, TORSTEN; BAUER, FLORIAN

Journal of Open Source Software

Open Journals

Año: 2023 vol. 8

Data-driven science requires reliable data generation, and in modern instrumentation softwareplays a central role to achieve this goal. Computer-controlled experiments allow for complexsynchronization of sensors and actuators. Moreover, as it was already recognized decades ago,they enable on-line analysis routines to steer the experiment in real time (Enke, 1982). Whencombined with programming best practices, instrumentation software fosters reproducible,traceable, and open science.An important step in the development of instrumentation software has been the definitionof Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) (Cheij, 2002), which quickly becamethe most common API for test and measurement and is widely used both in industry andacademia. It includes specifications for communication with resources over a variety ofinterfaces such as GPIB, PXI, VXI, SERIAL, TCP/IP, and USB. VISA abstracts away the(often complex) idiosyncrasies of those low-level protocols, so that the scientist can focus onthe instrument-specific command set.The Python package PyVISA provides an easy-to-use interface to software libraries that imple-ment the VISA standard, enabling communication between a host computer and instrumentsor other devices.