The latest version of Accurate Technologies’ (ATI) Vision Data Analyzer (VDA) 4.1 – the MDF4-format analysis platform – incorporates 18 new features that are said to greatly enhance viewing, analysis and collaboration in data recording.
“VDA 4.1 is the result of listening closely to our customers’ needs,” said Mike Weglarz, ATI’s executive director for software products. “Engineers told us they needed greater flexibility in how they view and compare data across multiple monitors, native access to CAN and LIN bus trace data without switching tools, and smarter ways to collaborate on large MDF4 datasets across distributed teams. VDA 4.1 addresses all of this – and more.”
One of the key features is the floating and dockable workspace. Pages and tabs can be freely undocked into independent windows and repositioned across multiple monitors. Panel pages enable side-by-side views of graphs, data grids, GPS maps and CAN/LIN bus trace data simultaneously. Chain cursors link navigation across all open windows in real time, significantly improving multiscreen analysis workflows for rapid MDF4 file analysis.
VDA 4.1 introduces native display of CAN and LIN bus messages recorded within MDF4 files, complete with message filtering, a time slider and cursor synchronization with trace pages. Furthermore, engineers can now inspect raw bus traffic correlated directly with measured signals inside the single VDA 4.1 application – eliminating the need for a separate CAN analysis tool.
ATI’s new software includes a new dashboard page and live gauges. The new page type hosts circular and linear gauges, data lists and text boxes that can be locked once configured and linked to trace page cursors. VDA 4.1’s dashboard provides a quick view of different data and a professional, presentation-ready data view purpose-built for test debriefs and live review sessions.
It also comes with optional Vision Enterprise integration. VDA 4.1 integrates fully with the forthcoming optional Vision Enterprise (VE) 1.0 collaboration platform, which will provide centralized MDF4 file storage, powerful 21-criteria metadata search, folder notifications, tag/property editing and upload/download with progress tracking. Vision Enterprise is available as a separately licensed add-on and is expected to launch later this year.
In terms of performance and reliability, more than 30 targeted bug fixes address stability across calculated channels, MDF file handling, GPS visualizer with KML export, layout reapplication and ASCII export.
Vision Data Analyzer 4.1 is available as a subscription-based software license for 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11. Site licenses for corporate volume deployments are available on application. The soon-to-be-launched Vision Enterprise collaboration module requires a separate VE server license.
“For engineering teams already using ATI Vision data acquisition hardware, VDA 4.1 is the natural next step,” noted Peter Knivett, executive VP for commercial at ATI. “And for teams using any MDF4-compatible datalogger, VDA 4.1 offers a professional-grade analysis environment at a price point that is highly competitive with far more complex toolchains. The combination of flexible workspace, CAN/LIN trace viewing and optional future Vision enterprise collaboration makes this a compelling choice for control system development teams.”
VDA 4.1 is designed for test engineers, calibration engineers, data analysts and validation teams at OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and engineering service providers. It supports automotive powertrain, chassis, EV/HEV and ADAS development, as well as heavy truck and bus, agricultural, marine, aerospace and off-highway applications – wherever ASAM MDF4-format test data is used.
Look out for a feature on data acquisition, the data pipeline and other aspects such as edge computing in the June edition of ATTI – due to land soon. Read the latest issue for FREE here
