The man-machine-interface for the air exchange measurement system multi-cat.

The use of computers for data acquisition and analysis in air exchange measurements with tracer gases has become state of the art for the researcher. However, for air exchange measurements in the field, reliable operation of the equipment and the proper reporting of the results are still points of concern. Here, the computer can assist the user in the correct handling of the tracer gas equipment, in dealing with unfavourable measurement conditions, and in the production of a readable report. These features are of special importance if the measurements have to be conducted by non-expert personnel. This contribution describes the control and evaluation programs of the air exchange measurement system MULTI-CAT[1]. They provide a man-machine-interface, which achieves the mentioned goals by software driven guidance of the user through the whole measurement procedure. Its features include the input of building and measurement data, setup and performance of the measurement, data evaluation, report generation, error messages and help screens on demand.