Ni asi docs (#1183)

* Comparison table

* Link Altair after control scheme discussion

Author: joelaugustine099

docs/source/02_user_guide/01_supported_hardware/daq.rst

@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+.. |br| raw:: html
+
+   <br>
+
 ======================
 Data Acquisition Cards
 ======================
@@ -197,6 +201,49 @@ to communicate with the Tiger Controller
 
 ------------------
 
+.. _daq-ni-vs-asi:
+
+NI Card vs. ASI Tiger Controller
+"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+The following comparison considers not only the hardware differences between the two devices,
+but also the software implementation within **navigate**.
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+
+   * - **NI DAQ**
+     - **ASI Tiger Controller**
+   * - Requires independent wiring.
+     - BNC outputs on Tiger Controller.
+   * - More analog/digital channels
+     - Fewer analog/digital channels 
+   * - 100 kHz sampling rate
+     - 4 kHz evaluation rate
+   * - Arbitrary analog/digital waveforms
+     - Limited to predefined waveforms 
+       (Ramp, Triangle, Square, Sine, DC)
+   * - Software-driven triggers
+     - Hardware-driven triggers
+   * - For each image, turns on laser, |br|
+       triggers analog waveforms |br|
+       (camera + galvo + remote focus), |br|
+       then turns off laser.
+     - Sets up all waveforms at the beginning of the acquisition, |br|
+       then triggers each waveform deterministically through hardware.
+   * - Latency between software trigger |br|
+       and waveform output.
+     - Negligible latency between hardware trigger and waveform output
+   * - Software takes over between |br|
+       each image. Jitter possible.
+     - Hardware handles timing between each image. Negligible jitter. |br|
+       Software only takes over between stacks or when stop is pressed.
+
+Information on setting up one particular ASI setup can be found `here <https://thedeanlab.github.io/altair/getting_started/getting_started.html>`_.
+This is the recommended setup for `Altair <https://thedeanlab.github.io/altair/index.html>`_, a microscope designed by the Dean Lab for dissemination purposes.
+
+------------------
+
 Synthetic Data Acquisition Card
 -------------------------------
 If no data acquisition card is present, one must configure the software to use a synthetic

docs/source/02_user_guide/01_supported_hardware/hardware_home.rst

@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ Supported Hardware
 
 **navigate** provides access to a growing list of hardware devices. Information on how to configure each of these devices, including supported firmware, is provided here.
 
+The operational backbone of navigate is the data acquisition device, which synchronizes all hardware devices. 
+Navigate supports both National Instruments and Applied Scientific Instrumentation devices to perform this logic. 
+Each is accompanied with advantages and disadvantages. A discussion can be found :ref:`here <daq-ni-vs-asi>` on these devices.
+
 Additional devices are available by installing the **navigate-mmcore-plugin**. To learn more, please visit the **navigate-mmcore-plugin**
 `documentation <https://thedeanlab.github.io/navigate-mmcore-plugin/>`_.
 

docs/source/02_user_guide/01_supported_hardware/stage.rst

@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ first establish communication with the device using `ASI provided software <http
                   type: ASI
                   serial_number: 001
                   axes: [x, y, z, theta, f]
-                  axes_mapping: [A, B, C, D, E]
+                  axes_mapping: [X, Y, Z, M, F]
                   feedback_alignment: [90, 90, 90, 5, 90]
                   volts_per_micron: 0.0
                   min: 0.0