The Driver, or device driver, is a specialized software program that acts as a translator between a computer's operating system (OS) and a specific piece of hardware (a "device"). Hardware devices like programmable power supplies, printers, or graphics cards have their own unique, complex set of instructions. The OS does not inherently know how to communicate with every possible device. The driver fills this gap. It understands the specific commands and protocols of the hardware and exposes a standardized interface to the OS and other software applications.
When an application wants to control a power supply (e.g., set a voltage), it sends a generic request to the OS. The OS passes this request to the device driver. The driver then translates that generic request into the specific low-level command string or signal that the power supply's hardware can understand and sends it over the communication bus (like USB or Ethernet). This abstraction is crucial because it means application developers don't need to write custom code for every specific device model. They can write to a standard driver interface.
A key standard in the test and measurement industry is the VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) standard, which often works with IVI (Interchangeable Virtual Instrument) drivers. An IVI driver allows for even greater abstraction, enabling a user to switch between similar instruments from different manufacturers with minimal or no changes to their control software, as long as both instruments have a compatible IVI driver. Without the correct driver, the OS cannot recognize or communicate with the device, rendering it unusable from the computer.
