For several decades there has been a general concern that the level of research funding for academic instrumentation was not sufficient to keep pace with the requirements of cutting edge research. To develop the factual trend data necessary to understand the depth of the problems in academia and thus provide an adequate response to these concerns, Congress directed the National Science Foundation to collect data that would aid in an accurate assessment of the aforementioned concern. The National Survey of Academic Research Instruments and Instrumentation Needs (Instrument Survey) was developed to collect data concerning scientific research instruments and the academic departments and facilities in which they are located in the fields of agricultural, biological, computer, environmental, and physical science and engineering. A panel of 55 colleges and universities and 24 medical schools which account for 90 percent of expenditures for academic research and development in science and engineering were surveyed. This document covers data gathered for 1992. (ZWH)