The USB-IDIO-16 is especially useful in applications where high common-mode external voltages are present. Isolation is required to guard electronics from transient voltage spikes and offers greater common-mode noise rejection in electronically noisy surroundings containing industrial machinery and inductive loads. These applications include factory automation, energy management, industrial ON/OFF control, security systems, manufacturing test, and process monitoring. In addition to protecting industrial applications from accidental contact with high external voltages, the isolation provided eliminates troublesome ground loops.
The USB-IDIO-16 was designed to be used in rugged industrial environments but is small enough to fit nicely onto any desk or testing station. The board measures just 3.550 by 3.775 inches and ships inside a steel powder-coated enclosure with an anti-skid bottom. A DIN rail mounting provision is available for installation in industrial environments. What makes the OEM option unique is that its PCB size and pre-drilled mounting holes match the PC/104 form factor (without the bus connections). This ensures easy installation using standard standoffs inside most enclosures or systems. The USB-IDIO-16 can be integrated into any PC/104, PCI-104, or PCI/104-Express stack by connecting it to a USB 2.0 port usually included on-board with embedded CPU form factors such as EBX, EPIC, and PC/104 – especially important since many newer CPU chipsets do not support ISA and have plenty of USB ports.
The USB-IDIO-16 is supported for use in most operating systems and includes a free Linux (including Mac OS X) and Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003-compatible software package. This package contains sample programs and source code in Visual Basic, Delphi, C++ Builder and Visual C++ for Windows. Also incorporated is a graphical setup program in Windows. Third-party support includes a Windows standard DLL interface usable from most popular application programs, and includes example LabVIEW VIs. Embedded OS support includes Windows XPe.