ondamonitor 23.8.3

Real-time monitoring of x-ray imaging experiments

OM (OnDA Monitor) is a software framework for the development of programs that can monitor of x-ray imaging experiments in real-time.

It is the spiritual successor of the OnDA project and it is mantained mostly by the same team of developers.

OM provides users with a set of stable and efficient real-time monitors for the most common types of x-ray imaging experiments. These can be used immediately without modifications or can be easily adapted to meet the users’ requirements. In addition, the project provides a set of modules that can be used to easily develop other monitoring programs tailored to the characteristics of specific experiments.

OM can process imaging data in the broadest sense: multidimensional and multiple-pixel data (for example, a diffraction pattern or a photoemission spectrum, but also an image coming from a camera or a microscope), but also any kind of digital output from an instrument or sensor (for example, a temperature readout, beam and pulse energies, etc.).

OM focuses on scalability and portability, in order to facilitate its adoption for a wide array of current and future instruments. It also strives for stability and performance. In order to achieve these goals, OM uses free and open-source libraries and protocols.

OM is written in Python. The use of the Python programming language, which is particularly suited to prototyping and rapid development, makes OM easy to modify and to adapt to the requirements of specific experiments.

OM also aims to keep the code base simple and as small as possible. The focus is on providing a core set of functions, while allowing the framework to be expanded with external software when possible, avoiding the need to reimplement already optimized algorithms.