The isolator protects the computer and its I/O cards from the high voltage devices it's connected to.  The isolator is needed because charge can build up on insulators in the vacuum chamber and occasional arcing will occur.  There are 16 analog output channels and 16 analog input channels.  Each isolator is on a separate circuit board that can be pulled out and replaced without turning off the power to the rest of the isolators.  The isolator is currently being used in Dr. Farley's lab as part of an automated ion beam experiment.