data logging
data acquisition
data logger

    (data acquisition) Storing a series of measurements
   over time, usually from a sensor that converts a physical
   quantity such as temperature, pressure, relative humidity,
   light, resistance, current, power, speed, vibration into a
   voltage that is then converted by a digital to analog
   converter (DAC) into a binary number.  Data logging hardware
   may have several DACs for multiple simultaneous measurements.
   The hardware usually connects to a parallel port, serial
   port or USB port on a PC.

   (2004-11-15)