The VR Mobile application includes a triggering function that allows for the autonomous acquisition of data with the ObserVR1000. In VR Mobile, the engineer can set up actions to occur automatically following an event. After the engineer creates a trigger, the ObserVR1000 will record data without intervention. This feature saves time and ensures accuracy and consistency during recording.
In VR Mobile, the events that can be selected to trigger action are:
- Device Startup
- Analog Input
- Digital Input
- Recording State
- Power State
- Time of Day
The actions that can be selected to follow an event are:
- Start Recording
- Record for Duration
- Stop Recording
- Toggle Recording
- Digital Output ON (send a digital signal)
- Digital Output OFF (stop sending a digital signal)
- Delay for Duration
- Shutdown Device
How to Create a Trigger in VR Mobile
In VR Mobile, users can define custom triggering behaviors in response to certain system events.
To access the Triggering feature, point to the ObserVR1000 Settings, select the three-line menu icon > Triggering. To create a new trigger, select the New Trigger button. The arrow button to the right displays the most common use case examples.
A single trigger can execute one or more actions in response to one or multiple events. Multiple triggers can exist independently from one another. Individual triggers must be enabled to be active and can be individually enabled/disabled. To enable/disable all triggers in the system, use the Enable toggle switch in the top bar.
For multiple events, the software only executes the action(s) when all events are met. For example, if a trigger is configured for the events “Online Power” and “Recording Started,” then the action(s) will only be executed when a recording is running and the device is plugged in.
To set up an “or” function for multiple events, the engineer can create multiple triggers to trigger an action in response to any one of the events.
Multiple actions for a trigger will run in order from top to bottom. The software will complete each action before proceeding to the next. The engineer can also set a delay in between actions. For example, a three-step action list of “Digital Output On – Pin 2,” “Delay for Duration – 10 sec,” and “Digital Output Off – Pin 2” will turn digital output pin #2 on for 10 seconds, and then turn it off.
Industry Applications
Engineers can pair triggering events and actions to suit various applications. Below, we’ve provided several combinations of events and actions that may be useful when recording with the ObserVR1000.
Event: Device Start-up
Action(s)
- Start recording and record for duration: Start recording when the ObserVR1000 is powered on. Combine with the “Record for Duration” action to limit the recording length.
- Delay for duration: Set a buffer between the ObserVR1000’s start-up and the start of the recording.
Applications
Transportation: Power on the ObserVR1000 before shipment, automatically starting the recording to capture all loading events.
Event: Analog Input
The “Analog Input” event defines a triggering event based on the measured values of a specified input channel. If multiple channels are selected for a single event, and the threshold value on one channel is exceeded, the event will be triggered.
The Analog Input event is based on peak measurement. It is useful when the engineer only wants to record extreme conditions or in situations when an event may or may not occur.
Action(s)
- Start recording and record for duration: To record a transient event, select the Analog Input event and set the input channel(s) and triggering threshold level. To record data 5 seconds before and after the event, set the “Record for Duration” action with a total recording duration of 10 seconds and a pre-trigger of 5 seconds.
Applications
Aerospace: Record vibration during turbulence, hard landings, or other transient flight events.- Seismic/earthquake: Record structural behavior during a seismic event, including foreshock and aftershock.
- Automotive: Record before and after potholes, railroad crossings, or other high-impact events.
- Industrial machinery: Record when machine vibration exceeds a predefined threshold to capture intermittent faults.
- Start recording to create an input threshold: Configure an input threshold so recording begins only when the measured signal exceeds the specified level. This reduces storage requirements by omitting periods of low activity.
Applications
- Civil engineering: Record only when heavy vehicles cross a bridge or when structural vibration exceeds a threshold.
- Rail transportation: Record only as a train passes over a section of track or bridge.
- Toggle recording following analog input and then stop recording: Upon detection of an analog input, toggle the recording on and off throughout the duration of the recording.
Applications
Testing labs: Trigger multiple recordings whenever vibration exceeds a defined threshold to capture intermittent events during long-duration testing.- Automotive: Record multiple samples each time the vehicle encounters the same event (speed bump, expansion joint, etc.) for comparison.
- Delay for duration: The “Delay for Duration” action is beneficial when the input itself is not of interest, but the response.
Event: Digital Input
Action(s)
- Start recording following a digital input: Synchronize external equipment with the ObserVR1000.
Applications
- Testing labs: Start recording when the shaker controller outputs a signal indicating that the test has started.
- Automotive: Synchronize recording with a test system output (CAN gateway, brake switch, etc.).
- Manufacturing: Record vibration only while a machine is in a production state.
Event: Recording State
Action(s)
- Turn a digital output ON following recording state: The “Digital Output” action sends an output signal from the ObserVR1000 to external equipment following the start of a recording.
Applications
Testing labs: Send a digital signal to a verification light to signal the start of the recording to a remote team.- Testing labs: Trigger a high-speed camera when recording starts; turn off the output when the recording ends.
- Delay for duration and shutdown device: Following the start of a recording, delay the recording and then shut down the device when the required amount of data are collected.
Event: Power State
For the ObserVR1000, the “Power State” event can be online power from a charger or battery power.
Action(s)
- Begin recording and stop recording: The ObserVR1000 can be configured to turn on and start recording when external power is present and stop recording and shut down when external power is removed.
Event: Time of Day
Action(s)
- Start recording and stop recording: Collect data at a specific time(s) to record a time-sensitive occurrence or perform a maintenance check.
Applications
- Civil engineering: Record vibration during known periods of peak traffic each morning and evening.
- Manufacturing: Record during scheduled production shifts to compare machine performance over time.
- Shutdown device: Shut down the ObserVR1000 outside testing hours to save battery life and omit stagnant data.
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