SIGULS: Signal generator for user-specified laboratory signals

SIGULS (signal generator for user-specified laboratory signals) is an open-source excitation signal generator designed for use in structural dynamics testing. It offers the user full control over the shape of the excitation signal, is comparatively affordable, and can be operated independently from any data acquisition system being used. It is based on the ESP32-S3 microcontroller and the AD5781 Digital-to-Analog Converter. This publication presents the characteristics of the device and lays out some of the key design decisions. A structural dynamics experiment is carried out to evaluate the performance and utility of the device compared to commercial alternatives. The comparatively high cost and limited flexibility of the available alternatives motivates the development of this device.