How to read data from an NI DAQ?

Question

I'm using an Arduino to control an experimental setup and read analogue signals from some sensors. But there are other sensors for which I need a DAQ for. I have a National Instrument USB-6259. On my PC I use LabView or NI SignalExpress to read data from DAQ connected via USB. Considering that I want the read data from different sensors to be synced, I was wondering if I could somehow read the DAQ directly on the Arduino?

Some other points:

1. I also have Arduino Ethernet Shield, if required.
2. The final goal is to have logged data synced so out of the box solutions are also acceptable for me.
3. If I'm not mistaken there are some versions of Arduino which you can install Linux on, just like a Rasppbery pi. There are even OSes for normal Arduino boards. There is a Low Cost USB DAQ Driver for use with Raspberry Pi for NI USB-6008/6009 devices. Is it possible to install this driver on Arduino?
4. I prefer not use a Raspberry pi because analogue/PWM read and write there is not as straight forward. So if there are other boards which are as easy as an Arduino with an OS compatible with current driver please suggest.

Answer 1

Unlikely.

First you would need a USB shield to be able to plug it in.

Second you would have to reverse engineer and then reimplement the proprietary protocols that device uses in order to get the Arduino to control the device.

Answer 2

The main answer for your question is already given by Majenko, and is "no". These protocols are much more complicated than you can think, so no way.

However, if I correctly interpret your point 2 (which is The final goal is to have logged data synced so out of the box solutions are also acceptable for me), you don't need to do this. Just use your PC (or raspberry) to collect all the data and make a synchronization inside it. For instance, connect the arduino to the PC via bluetooth, add a serial connection in the labview program and then send all the data the arduino records to the serial peripheral; you will get all the infos in the labview program.

If for any reason this is not possible, you can use a common signal to sync the acquisitions. For instance, when you start the measurements you let the DAQ generate a long pulse (let's say 100ms), then every second or minute it will generate a shorter pulse (let's say 10ms); the arduino also records this signal, so you will have a way to sync acquisitions. Or you can do the opposite: the arduino generates and the DAQ records.

To sum up, the arduino is not capable of doing what you request, but maybe what you need is not what you asked for...