In 1985, the Physiology Department at New Zealand's University of Otago encouraged the development of a computer-based data acquisition system to replace their paper-based systems. In 1985, as part of his Computer Science Masters at the university, Michael Macknight built the MacLab, one of the first analog-to-digital converters that connected to a Macintosh computer.
Michael and his father, Tony Macknight, created a company initially known as Analog Digital Instruments. Very soon, they formed a partnership with Boris Schlensky who bought in skills around manufacturing, marketing and distribution.
Two software packages were initially developed: Chart (chart-recorder software, now LabChart) and Scope (digital oscilloscope software), which provided software control of the recording unit as well as a range of display and analysis features:
The company provides grants, awards and sponsorship to students, researchers and educators in the life sciences industry:
In 2008 the company was nominated for two Life Science Industry Awards:12
JRA's Top 10 Best Place to work in 2009 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0911/S00620.htm ↩
JRA's Top 10 Best Place to work in 2010 Archived March 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine http://www.jra.co.nz/news.aspx?Article=232 ↩
Kenexa/JRA Top 10 Best Place to work in 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20121107193319/http://www.kenexa.com/Best-Workplaces/Hall-of-Fame-2011 ↩
Kenexa Top 10 Best Place to work in 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121105060833/http://www.kenexa.com/Best-Workplaces/Hall-of-Fame-2012 ↩
The Scientist Best Places to Work Industry 2012 http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/32124/title/Best-Places-to-Work-Industry--2012/ ↩
Otago Daily Times news article http://www.odt.co.nz/news/business/213140/they-are-happy-and-they-know-it-adinstruments ↩
University of Otago Applied Science Industry Partner http://www.appsci.otago.ac.nz/partners/adinstruments ↩
UTAS Honors (Zoology) ADInstruments Prize https://archive.today/20130219172341/http://www.studentcentre.utas.edu.au/prizes/AwardDetails.aspx?AwardId=2039 ↩
"NABT Technology and Innovation Grant". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-01-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003004/http://www.nabt.org/campaigns/index.php?r=office@nabt.org&a=1&c=67&m=1 ↩
APS ADInstruments Macknight Progressive Educator Award https://archive.today/20130416020556/http://the-aps.org/MayCC/awards/society/adi.txt ↩
CRAWFLY Educator Scholarship Program http://cdn.adinstruments.com/Marketing/ADInstruments_Crawfly_Scholarship.pdf ↩
"Life Science Industry Awards". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-06-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713204447/http://www.lifescienceindustryawards.com/2011/index.html ↩