When Friedrich Menges was working on his Masters thesis at the Universitat Konstanz in 1998 there were several choices available for spectrometry data. Many were limited in function and others were too difficult or complicated to use.
Another post graduate student had developed a 16 bit package on Windows 3.1 that was able to plot all file formats, had several additional functions and contained a great graphic user interface. Friedrich took that software, called Spekwin, and upgraded it to 32 bit functionality. Spekwin32 started to spread in Menges' work group as the prevalent software for inputting and outputting spectral data and has been free for academic and private users since 2001.
Menges is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to fund massive updates to Spekwin32. An upgrade to 64 bit support, the ability to use multiple plot windows, more file formats, additional interactivity and general modernization will be added to the software if the campaign is successfully funded. The campaign funds will allow Menges to work on the upgrade full time for three months, instead of working during the evenings and weekends.
The goals when developing Spekwin32 were to separate the data output and display from the spectrometer, to be able to use several spectra, to analyze and visualize multiple spectra at one time and to be a useful functional tool for the user. In June 2014 when the .ninja domains were released Friedrich bought spectroscopy.ninja and focused on the ninja-like aspects of the software. The software was fast, efficient, universal, lean, rock solid and easy to use. There's a great page on his website that shows the Way of the Spectroscopy Ninja and the seven basic principles for wise use of the tool.
More than 10,000 users around the world are currently using Spekwin32, with around 5,000 individuals downloading the software each year. Ninety percent of users are academics, and the Testimonials page on the website shows several users discussing the benefits of the software. Menges gives personal support to around 400 users every year, more than 110 scientific publications mention Spekwin32 and thirty five different file formats are currently recognized. An incredibly detailed Online Manual can be explored to learn the full functionality of the tool. Canon, Philip Morris International, Continental Automotive, Agilent Technologies, Sensor Electronics Corp, Goodyear Innovation Center, Merck, and Bosch are among the seventy plus companies who pay to use Spekwin32. Menges says that he is most proud of the United Nations / Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons decade long use of the tool in infrared spectra analysis.
Spectrometers (and spectroscopy) are incredibly useful tools for engineers and researchers, and Menges posted a Hackaday project earlier this month to show his software being used with a do-it-yourself spectrometer. Having data you can't use because of file format or lack of software function is a frustrating project bottleneck. It's definitely inspiring to see someone work so hard on a project that's a labor of love but also a useful tool for thousands of engineers around the world. Friedrich spoke to us a few times this week during the development of this article and his passion for the project shows through every email. The funding campaign ends May 5, 2016.