BANGALORE, INDIA: National Instruments (NI) announced the X Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devicesforPCI Express and PXI Express.
The 16 new X Series DAQ devices provide enhancements to analog I/O, digital I/O, onboard counters and multidevice synchronization. X Series devices integrate native PCI Express support for high-throughput data transfer, advanced timing and synchronization technology for precise measurement and control and the ability to perform advanced processing and analysis on today’s multicore systems.
X Series DAQ devices, which include up to 32 analog inputs (AI), four analog outputs (AO), 48 digital I/O lines and four counters, range from low-cost 250 kS/s multiplexed AI to 2 MS/s simultaneous sampling AI. Simultaneous X Series devices integrate up to 16 ADCs on a single device at 2 MS/s per channel, so engineers can sample all AI channels at a high rate and with minimal phase offset.
With high sampling on all channels, simultaneous X Series devices pass large quantities of data back to the host PC, delivering a total AI throughput of up to 64 MB/s. With the added throughput of AO, digital I/O and counter operations, total throughput can surpass 100 MB/s for a single device -– the practical maximum of the PCI bus. For this reason, X Series devices use the high-throughput PCI Express bus.
PCI Express offers several benefits to data acquisition applications, including dedicated bandwidth to each device of up to 250 MB/s in each direction. With this additional bandwidth, users can acquire larger quantities of analog, digital and counter data and, with the dedicated nature of the bus, engineers can easily expand their systems to include multiple data acquisition devices.
The new X Series devices integrate a native PCI Express interface, which is designed to provide the full 250 MB/s of PCI Express bandwidth, as opposed to a PCI-to-PCI Express bridge interface, which limits the device bandwidth to that of the PCI bus. These devices also are optimized for low-latency I/O, which improves performance in control and single-point applications.
Advanced timing and triggering functionality on multifunction DAQ devices traditionally required onboard counters, complex code or manual signal routing to achieve specialized hardware-timed performance.
New NI-STC3 technology provides X Series devices with independent timing engines for the onboard analog and digital I/O subsystems, so engineers can execute analog and digital I/O independently at different rates or together with synchronization.
The X Series devices include four enhanced 32-bit counters for frequency, pulse-width modulation (PWM) and encoder operations and a new 100 MHz timebase that can generate analog and digital sampling rates with five times better resolution than previous devices.
By using the multithreaded NI-DAQmx driver software and NI LabVIEW graphical programming, engineers can easily create applications that execute on multicore processors for higher performance and more advanced analysis and data visualization.
LabVIEW automatically generates threads for parallel sections of code that correspond to different streams of data, so engineers with little or no programming background can spend more time problem solving and less time programming the low-level implementation of their applications.
They can easily synchronize two or more X Series devices with new multidevice tasks and can rapidly log the acquired data to disk by adding a single new Configure Logging function to their NI-DAQmx code.
In addition, engineers can easily incorporate X Series devices into an existing data acquisition system because X Series devices use the same NI-DAQmx driver software and I/O connector as previous-generation devices.
Showing posts with label LabView. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LabView. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
NI's new tools for creating custom data management applications in LabVIEW
AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments announced the release of the NI LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, an extension of the LabVIEW graphical system design platform that helps engineers and scientists search and find valued data faster. Engineers and scientists worldwide have adopted LabVIEW because of the ease of use of graphical programming as well as the performance it delivers.
The toolkit further enhances LabVIEW by adding an Internet-like search functionality that indexes and stores the properties of time-based measurement files, making the process of finding data of interest more efficient than the traditional approach of loading all files into memory and manually scanning the results.
The toolkit can also be combined with NI DataFinder Server Edition to extend the same search technology to servers so large groups or departments can easily share or analyze their data.
As more high-speed measurement devices, including RF instruments, digitizers and data acquisition, are integrated into test systems, engineers and scientists face larger amounts of data than ever before. When analyzing data, they traditionally must cull through millions of data points to find the results they need, which can be a timely and tedious process. The typical solution was to purchase high-cost data management packages or hire a database consultant to manage these mass amounts of data.
With the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, engineers and scientists can create custom, deployable data management applications using NI DataFinder, an off-the-shelf data index that stores metadata and properties stored in test files. Engineers and scientists then can search NI DataFinder using NI DIAdem software for interactive, offline post-processing or with their own custom applications built using the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit.
The toolkit can be used to perform simple keyword searches or advanced parametric searches such as finding channel data that exceeds a limit on a particular day or using a particular sensor.
Using DataPlugin technology, the toolkit is compatible with any file format and works natively with Technical Data Management (TDM) and Technical Data Management Streaming (TDMS) files. With a low price and quick turnaround on results, the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit is a more cost-efficient alternative to other data management solutions.
"RF manufacturing applications are very data intensive, and we needed a fast and cost-efficient solution for analyzing and finding the results from within our Spartan Quality Management System," said Jim West, Senior Software Engineer at Summitek Instruments. "Using the NI LabVIEW Data Finder Toolkit, we were able to easily find the results we needed as well as uncover valuable statistical trends."
To provide data management functionality to large groups, the toolkit can be combined with NI DataFinder Server Edition software, which is loaded onto a server to index files for faster search. The ability to perform quick searches on data stored on servers makes the toolkit ideal for teams that are working on projects simultaneously or remotely.
The toolkit further enhances LabVIEW by adding an Internet-like search functionality that indexes and stores the properties of time-based measurement files, making the process of finding data of interest more efficient than the traditional approach of loading all files into memory and manually scanning the results.
The toolkit can also be combined with NI DataFinder Server Edition to extend the same search technology to servers so large groups or departments can easily share or analyze their data.
As more high-speed measurement devices, including RF instruments, digitizers and data acquisition, are integrated into test systems, engineers and scientists face larger amounts of data than ever before. When analyzing data, they traditionally must cull through millions of data points to find the results they need, which can be a timely and tedious process. The typical solution was to purchase high-cost data management packages or hire a database consultant to manage these mass amounts of data.
With the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, engineers and scientists can create custom, deployable data management applications using NI DataFinder, an off-the-shelf data index that stores metadata and properties stored in test files. Engineers and scientists then can search NI DataFinder using NI DIAdem software for interactive, offline post-processing or with their own custom applications built using the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit.
The toolkit can be used to perform simple keyword searches or advanced parametric searches such as finding channel data that exceeds a limit on a particular day or using a particular sensor.
Using DataPlugin technology, the toolkit is compatible with any file format and works natively with Technical Data Management (TDM) and Technical Data Management Streaming (TDMS) files. With a low price and quick turnaround on results, the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit is a more cost-efficient alternative to other data management solutions.
"RF manufacturing applications are very data intensive, and we needed a fast and cost-efficient solution for analyzing and finding the results from within our Spartan Quality Management System," said Jim West, Senior Software Engineer at Summitek Instruments. "Using the NI LabVIEW Data Finder Toolkit, we were able to easily find the results we needed as well as uncover valuable statistical trends."
To provide data management functionality to large groups, the toolkit can be combined with NI DataFinder Server Edition software, which is loaded onto a server to index files for faster search. The ability to perform quick searches on data stored on servers makes the toolkit ideal for teams that are working on projects simultaneously or remotely.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
NI, SolidWorks ally on virtual prototyping solution
AUSTIN & CONCORD, USA: National Instruments and Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corp., a leader in mechanical design software, announced their collaboration on a pioneer mechatronics tool that helps mechanical and control engineers work together to lower the cost and risk of motion system design.
Seamlessly connecting NI LabVIEW graphical system design software and SolidWorks((R)) 3D CAD software, the new virtual prototyping solution helps engineers and scientists design, optimize, validate and visualize the real-world performance of machines and motion systems before incurring the costs of physical prototypes.
Because LabVIEW is used for controlling the virtual prototype, engineers and scientists can deploy their graphical software to physical NI hardware with little to no change to the code.
"The increasing complexity of machine designs demands better collaboration between different engineering disciplines including mechanical, electrical and control," said Jeff Ray, CEO of DS SolidWorks. "SolidWorks and National Instruments have developed a prototyping solution that dramatically shortens the gap between idea and reality."
Mechatronics-oriented design tools improve machine development by simulating the interaction between mechanical and electrical subsystems throughout the design process. Historically, teams of engineers from different disciplines worked in silos and in sequential development.
Design decisions were made independently, resulting in longer development times and higher costs. Now, to streamline development in a mechatronics approach, the teams work in parallel and collaborate on design, prototyping and deployment.
The ability to create virtual prototypes is a critical aspect of the mechatronics approach because it helps engineers and scientists explore machines before they are built.
"We live in a multi-domain world, so designers should have access to best-of-class tools in each domain," said Dr. James Truchard, president, CEO and cofounder of National Instruments. "By combining two of the most powerful design tools, LabVIEW and SolidWorks, we are giving engineers and scientists a new way to collaborate more effectively and innovate more quickly."
The seamless integration of the LabVIEW 2009 NI SoftMotion Module and SolidWorks software delivers a design environment that is ideal for virtual prototyping. Existing SolidWorks CAD models can be easily connected to LabVIEW, which automatically links the motor actuators and position sensors defined in the model.
Using the high-level functions provided by the NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks, engineers and scientists can develop sophisticated motion control applications that include logic based on sensor feedback. Design teams, customers and sales engineers then can use the virtual prototype to visualize realistic machine operations and analyze cycle time performance.
By using LabVIEW and SolidWorks, the mechanical dynamics of a machine, including mass and friction effects, as well as motor and mechanical actuator torque requirements, can be simulated before parts are specified.
"The SolidWorks and LabVIEW connection gives our R&D teams the ability to develop a virtual prototype in advance of a physical build," said Dr. John White, chief engineer at NCR Corp.
"LabVIEW controls the motion trajectories while SolidWorks can be used to calculate the driving forces, power requirements and stresses. Together, these two development tools provide our engineers with the data needed for full design analysis and optimization."
The new virtual prototyping solution also makes it easy to deploy motion applications, validated using the SolidWorks 3D CAD environment, to NI embedded control platforms such as the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC).
Since the application was developed in LabVIEW, the same code used to create the virtual prototype can be deployed to physical NI hardware with little to no programming changes. Additionally, engineers and scientists can use the new NI 951x C Series drive interfaces to achieve direct connectivity to hundreds of stepper and servo drives and motors from NI and third-party vendors.
Seamlessly connecting NI LabVIEW graphical system design software and SolidWorks((R)) 3D CAD software, the new virtual prototyping solution helps engineers and scientists design, optimize, validate and visualize the real-world performance of machines and motion systems before incurring the costs of physical prototypes.
Because LabVIEW is used for controlling the virtual prototype, engineers and scientists can deploy their graphical software to physical NI hardware with little to no change to the code.
"The increasing complexity of machine designs demands better collaboration between different engineering disciplines including mechanical, electrical and control," said Jeff Ray, CEO of DS SolidWorks. "SolidWorks and National Instruments have developed a prototyping solution that dramatically shortens the gap between idea and reality."
Mechatronics-oriented design tools improve machine development by simulating the interaction between mechanical and electrical subsystems throughout the design process. Historically, teams of engineers from different disciplines worked in silos and in sequential development.
Design decisions were made independently, resulting in longer development times and higher costs. Now, to streamline development in a mechatronics approach, the teams work in parallel and collaborate on design, prototyping and deployment.
The ability to create virtual prototypes is a critical aspect of the mechatronics approach because it helps engineers and scientists explore machines before they are built.
"We live in a multi-domain world, so designers should have access to best-of-class tools in each domain," said Dr. James Truchard, president, CEO and cofounder of National Instruments. "By combining two of the most powerful design tools, LabVIEW and SolidWorks, we are giving engineers and scientists a new way to collaborate more effectively and innovate more quickly."
The seamless integration of the LabVIEW 2009 NI SoftMotion Module and SolidWorks software delivers a design environment that is ideal for virtual prototyping. Existing SolidWorks CAD models can be easily connected to LabVIEW, which automatically links the motor actuators and position sensors defined in the model.
Using the high-level functions provided by the NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks, engineers and scientists can develop sophisticated motion control applications that include logic based on sensor feedback. Design teams, customers and sales engineers then can use the virtual prototype to visualize realistic machine operations and analyze cycle time performance.
By using LabVIEW and SolidWorks, the mechanical dynamics of a machine, including mass and friction effects, as well as motor and mechanical actuator torque requirements, can be simulated before parts are specified.
"The SolidWorks and LabVIEW connection gives our R&D teams the ability to develop a virtual prototype in advance of a physical build," said Dr. John White, chief engineer at NCR Corp.
"LabVIEW controls the motion trajectories while SolidWorks can be used to calculate the driving forces, power requirements and stresses. Together, these two development tools provide our engineers with the data needed for full design analysis and optimization."
The new virtual prototyping solution also makes it easy to deploy motion applications, validated using the SolidWorks 3D CAD environment, to NI embedded control platforms such as the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC).
Since the application was developed in LabVIEW, the same code used to create the virtual prototype can be deployed to physical NI hardware with little to no programming changes. Additionally, engineers and scientists can use the new NI 951x C Series drive interfaces to achieve direct connectivity to hundreds of stepper and servo drives and motors from NI and third-party vendors.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
NI focuses on addressing global challenges with innovation at NIWeek 2009
USA: Executives from National Instruments discussed how NI products are helping address global challenges during the 15th annual NIWeek graphical system design conference and exhibition.
Speaking to more than 3,000 engineers and scientists, the largest number of NIWeek attendees to date, NI executives and engineers demonstrated new products and technologies that help improve efficiency, productivity and performance. The presentations showcased how customers use NI technology to innovate, saving time and money to more effectively address today’s global economic challenges.
Dr. James Truchard, NI president, CEO and cofounder, opened NIWeek 2009 by discussing how NI remains committed to delivering real-world solutions to real-world problems through the continuous development of new products and technologies.
He highlighted how NI LabVIEW graphical system design software has helped engineers and scientists meet, exceed and exploit the complex engineering challenges associated with parallel architectures and multicore programming. Truchard also discussed how NI products such as LabVIEW and new field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based hardware have helped companies thrive in the face of economic challenges through efficient innovation.
“We are meeting the challenges, we are innovating and we are making a difference with our technologies,” Truchard said. “LabVIEW, PXI, CompactRIO and other NI products have proven to be very good tools for multicore and FPGA programming, and we will continue to help our customers create future innovations in these areas and others to address a variety of issues.”
Following Truchard, NI vice president of marketing John Graff hosted NI engineers on stage to demonstrate new NI products including LabVIEW 2009, X Series multifunction data acquisition devices, NI VeriStand real-time testing software and the NI wireless sensor network. A series of demonstrations showed how these products meet sophisticated demands for a variety of industrial, test and embedded applications.
Graff also highlighted a few customers who are using NI products to lower costs and speed development. Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), for example, reduced its cost of test by a factor of 10 by building its microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone test system on LabVIEW and PXI instrumentation. Additionally, Animage, a veterinary medical imaging device manufacturer, prototyped and deployed an innovative scanning machine in nine months using only four team members working with LabVIEW and NI CompactRIO.
NI Business and Technology Fellow Mike Santori, along with several NI engineers, opened the second day of NIWeek 2009 by unveiling several new innovative technologies. Presentations included newly available products such as the NI Real-Time Hypervisor software for parallel and multicore processing, the IP Node for LabVIEW FPGA and a prototype of a new NI FlexRIO adapter module for Camera Link image processing.
Additionally, Santori’s keynote featured demonstrations of several other projects including a collaboration with Tektronix on a high-speed digitizer that exceeds 10 GS/s and programmable NI wireless sensor network nodes. The team also previewed new Web-based software, built on LabVIEW, for system design and user interfaces.
Jeff Kodosky, NI business and technology fellow, cofounder and “father of LabVIEW,” closed the second day keynote by stating that future technological innovation is necessary for addressing today’s pressing issues and that replacing outdated technologies is critical for ensuring humanity’s well-being in the future. He then explained how NI graphical dataflow programming can serve as an effective alternative to text-based programming for advanced applications and greatly enhance productivity.
“National Instruments tools make it easier and faster to create simulations, to design and build intelligent control systems and to test those systems,” Kodosky said. “The increased productivity of our tools is vital as the technology treadmill continues to accelerate.”
On the last day of the conference, Ray Almgren, vice president of academic relations, emphasized that today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, and that it is crucial for professionals to work with students of all ages to inspire their interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
Almgren examined how students today are tackling the Engineering Grand Challenges, as outlined by the National Academy of Engineering, with innovative projects using LabVIEW graphical system design including robotics innovation, medical device design and green engineering projects. He also highlighted several collaborations on university-level projects including the development of small, agile robots for rescue purposes, green engineering applications such as research into alternative fuel sources and biomedical projects to benefit third-world communities.
Dr. David Barrett, director of SCOPE (Senior Capstone Program in Engineering) at Olin College, closed NIWeek 2009 by illustrating how robotics could be the world’s next major disruptive technology. He explained that the proliferation of robotics is happening now and that robots are currently saving lives, from assisting in surgical procedures to replacing humans in dangerous working conditions. In his closing statements, Barrett reiterated that “Robots rock!” and that the future is now.
Speaking to more than 3,000 engineers and scientists, the largest number of NIWeek attendees to date, NI executives and engineers demonstrated new products and technologies that help improve efficiency, productivity and performance. The presentations showcased how customers use NI technology to innovate, saving time and money to more effectively address today’s global economic challenges.
Dr. James Truchard, NI president, CEO and cofounder, opened NIWeek 2009 by discussing how NI remains committed to delivering real-world solutions to real-world problems through the continuous development of new products and technologies.
He highlighted how NI LabVIEW graphical system design software has helped engineers and scientists meet, exceed and exploit the complex engineering challenges associated with parallel architectures and multicore programming. Truchard also discussed how NI products such as LabVIEW and new field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based hardware have helped companies thrive in the face of economic challenges through efficient innovation.
“We are meeting the challenges, we are innovating and we are making a difference with our technologies,” Truchard said. “LabVIEW, PXI, CompactRIO and other NI products have proven to be very good tools for multicore and FPGA programming, and we will continue to help our customers create future innovations in these areas and others to address a variety of issues.”
Following Truchard, NI vice president of marketing John Graff hosted NI engineers on stage to demonstrate new NI products including LabVIEW 2009, X Series multifunction data acquisition devices, NI VeriStand real-time testing software and the NI wireless sensor network. A series of demonstrations showed how these products meet sophisticated demands for a variety of industrial, test and embedded applications.
Graff also highlighted a few customers who are using NI products to lower costs and speed development. Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), for example, reduced its cost of test by a factor of 10 by building its microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone test system on LabVIEW and PXI instrumentation. Additionally, Animage, a veterinary medical imaging device manufacturer, prototyped and deployed an innovative scanning machine in nine months using only four team members working with LabVIEW and NI CompactRIO.
NI Business and Technology Fellow Mike Santori, along with several NI engineers, opened the second day of NIWeek 2009 by unveiling several new innovative technologies. Presentations included newly available products such as the NI Real-Time Hypervisor software for parallel and multicore processing, the IP Node for LabVIEW FPGA and a prototype of a new NI FlexRIO adapter module for Camera Link image processing.
Additionally, Santori’s keynote featured demonstrations of several other projects including a collaboration with Tektronix on a high-speed digitizer that exceeds 10 GS/s and programmable NI wireless sensor network nodes. The team also previewed new Web-based software, built on LabVIEW, for system design and user interfaces.
Jeff Kodosky, NI business and technology fellow, cofounder and “father of LabVIEW,” closed the second day keynote by stating that future technological innovation is necessary for addressing today’s pressing issues and that replacing outdated technologies is critical for ensuring humanity’s well-being in the future. He then explained how NI graphical dataflow programming can serve as an effective alternative to text-based programming for advanced applications and greatly enhance productivity.
“National Instruments tools make it easier and faster to create simulations, to design and build intelligent control systems and to test those systems,” Kodosky said. “The increased productivity of our tools is vital as the technology treadmill continues to accelerate.”
On the last day of the conference, Ray Almgren, vice president of academic relations, emphasized that today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, and that it is crucial for professionals to work with students of all ages to inspire their interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
Almgren examined how students today are tackling the Engineering Grand Challenges, as outlined by the National Academy of Engineering, with innovative projects using LabVIEW graphical system design including robotics innovation, medical device design and green engineering projects. He also highlighted several collaborations on university-level projects including the development of small, agile robots for rescue purposes, green engineering applications such as research into alternative fuel sources and biomedical projects to benefit third-world communities.
Dr. David Barrett, director of SCOPE (Senior Capstone Program in Engineering) at Olin College, closed NIWeek 2009 by illustrating how robotics could be the world’s next major disruptive technology. He explained that the proliferation of robotics is happening now and that robots are currently saving lives, from assisting in surgical procedures to replacing humans in dangerous working conditions. In his closing statements, Barrett reiterated that “Robots rock!” and that the future is now.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
NI intros X Series DAQ devices for PCI Express and PXI Express
USA: National Instruments announced X Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices for PCI Express and PXI Express. The 16 new X Series DAQ devices provide enhancements to analog I/O, digital I/O, onboard counters and multidevice synchronization.
X Series devices integrate native PCI Express support for high-throughput data transfer, advanced timing and synchronization technology for precise measurement and control and the ability to perform advanced processing and analysis on today’s multicore systems.
X Series DAQ devices, which include up to 32 analog inputs (AI), four analog outputs (AO), 48 digital I/O lines and four counters, range from low-cost 250 kS/s multiplexed AI to 2 MS/s simultaneous sampling AI. Simultaneous X Series devices integrate up to 16 ADCs on a single device at 2 MS/s per channel, so engineers can sample all AI channels at a high rate and with minimal phase offset.
With high sampling on all channels, simultaneous X Series devices pass large quantities of data back to the host PC, delivering a total AI throughput of up to 64 MB/s.
With the added throughput of AO, digital I/O and counter operations, total throughput can surpass 100 MB/s for a single device – the practical maximum of the PCI bus. For this reason, X Series devices use the high-throughput PCI Express bus.
PCI Express offers several benefits to data acquisition applications, including dedicated bandwidth to each device of up to 250 MB/s in each direction. With this additional bandwidth, users can acquire larger quantities of analog, digital and counter data and, with the dedicated nature of the bus, engineers can easily expand their systems to include multiple data acquisition devices.
The new X Series devices integrate a native PCI Express interface, which is designed to provide the full 250 MB/s of PCI Express bandwidth, as opposed to a PCI-to-PCI Express bridge interface, which limits the device bandwidth to that of the PCI bus. These devices also are optimized for low-latency I/O, which improves performance in control and single-point applications.
Advanced timing and triggering functionality on multifunction DAQ devices traditionally required onboard counters, complex code or manual signal routing to achieve specialized hardware-timed performance.
New NI-STC3 technology provides X Series devices with independent timing engines for the onboard analog and digital I/O subsystems, so engineers can execute analog and digital I/O independently at different rates or together with synchronization.
X Series devices include four enhanced 32-bit counters for frequency, pulse-width modulation (PWM) and encoder operations and a new 100 MHz timebase that can generate analog and digital sampling rates with five times better resolution than previous devices.
By using the multithreaded NI-DAQmx driver software and NI LabVIEW graphical programming, engineers can easily create applications that execute on multicore processors for higher performance and more advanced analysis and data visualization.
LabVIEW automatically generates threads for parallel sections of code that correspond to different streams of data, so engineers with little or no programming background can spend more time problem solving and less time programming the low-level implementation of their applications.
They can easily synchronize two or more X Series devices with new multidevice tasks and can rapidly log the acquired data to disk by adding a single new Configure Logging function to their NI-DAQmx code.
In addition, engineers can easily incorporate X Series devices into an existing data acquisition system because X Series devices use the same NI-DAQmx driver software and I/O connector as previous-generation devices.
X Series devices integrate native PCI Express support for high-throughput data transfer, advanced timing and synchronization technology for precise measurement and control and the ability to perform advanced processing and analysis on today’s multicore systems.
X Series DAQ devices, which include up to 32 analog inputs (AI), four analog outputs (AO), 48 digital I/O lines and four counters, range from low-cost 250 kS/s multiplexed AI to 2 MS/s simultaneous sampling AI. Simultaneous X Series devices integrate up to 16 ADCs on a single device at 2 MS/s per channel, so engineers can sample all AI channels at a high rate and with minimal phase offset.
With high sampling on all channels, simultaneous X Series devices pass large quantities of data back to the host PC, delivering a total AI throughput of up to 64 MB/s.
With the added throughput of AO, digital I/O and counter operations, total throughput can surpass 100 MB/s for a single device – the practical maximum of the PCI bus. For this reason, X Series devices use the high-throughput PCI Express bus.
PCI Express offers several benefits to data acquisition applications, including dedicated bandwidth to each device of up to 250 MB/s in each direction. With this additional bandwidth, users can acquire larger quantities of analog, digital and counter data and, with the dedicated nature of the bus, engineers can easily expand their systems to include multiple data acquisition devices.
The new X Series devices integrate a native PCI Express interface, which is designed to provide the full 250 MB/s of PCI Express bandwidth, as opposed to a PCI-to-PCI Express bridge interface, which limits the device bandwidth to that of the PCI bus. These devices also are optimized for low-latency I/O, which improves performance in control and single-point applications.
Advanced timing and triggering functionality on multifunction DAQ devices traditionally required onboard counters, complex code or manual signal routing to achieve specialized hardware-timed performance.
New NI-STC3 technology provides X Series devices with independent timing engines for the onboard analog and digital I/O subsystems, so engineers can execute analog and digital I/O independently at different rates or together with synchronization.
X Series devices include four enhanced 32-bit counters for frequency, pulse-width modulation (PWM) and encoder operations and a new 100 MHz timebase that can generate analog and digital sampling rates with five times better resolution than previous devices.
By using the multithreaded NI-DAQmx driver software and NI LabVIEW graphical programming, engineers can easily create applications that execute on multicore processors for higher performance and more advanced analysis and data visualization.
LabVIEW automatically generates threads for parallel sections of code that correspond to different streams of data, so engineers with little or no programming background can spend more time problem solving and less time programming the low-level implementation of their applications.
They can easily synchronize two or more X Series devices with new multidevice tasks and can rapidly log the acquired data to disk by adding a single new Configure Logging function to their NI-DAQmx code.
In addition, engineers can easily incorporate X Series devices into an existing data acquisition system because X Series devices use the same NI-DAQmx driver software and I/O connector as previous-generation devices.
NI intros wireless sensor network platform
USA: National Instruments today announced the NI wireless sensor network (WSN) platform, a complete remote monitoring solution that consists of NI LabVIEW graphical programming software and new reliable, low-power wireless measurement nodes.
The adoption of wireless technology for remote monitoring applications is growing, yet engineers and scientists struggle to find an integrated solution that can provide the required measurement quality, power management and reliable hardware for long-term, remote deployments.
The NI WSN platform takes advantage of more than 30 years of NI data acquisition system leadership to deliver an easy-to-use solution that provides high-quality measurement data, the flexibility to manage power consumption and the ability to customize wireless hardware for added functionality.
A key differentiator of the platform is LabVIEW software, which integrates seamlessly with the new battery-powered, industrial-rated NI WSN measurement nodes that can be deployed in rugged conditions for long periods of time.
Engineers and scientists worldwide are adopting wireless technology to meet distributed and portable measurement applications challenges, such as structural health and environmental monitoring, where wiring is difficult or cost-prohibitive.
With the flexibility of LabVIEW, the NI WSN platform simplifies and accelerates the development of these applications by delivering a drag-and-drop programming environment for configuring wireless systems, extracting measurements, performing analysis and presenting data. LabVIEW also offers native Web connectivity for remote interaction with wireless systems.
“The NI WSN platform provides the ease-of-use necessary to quickly configure and deploy wireless sensors in a wide range of applications,” said Dr. William Kaiser, director of the Actuated, Sensing, Coordinated and Embedded Networked Technologies lab at UCLA.
“The Center for Embedded Network Systems at UCLA is actively deploying NI WSN sensors in a parking garage at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center to help patients and family quickly identify open parking locations and to research options for proactive communication to commuters on parking availability across campus. The use of NI technology will allow us to improve the commuter experience, reduce additional traffic and emissions as commuters search for parking."
National Instruments is releasing its first two WSN nodes and plans to expand the measurement capabilities of the NI WSN platform. The wireless measurement nodes are powered by four AA batteries for up to three years, making them ideal for long-term deployments.
The NI WSN-3202 four-channel, ± 10 V analog input node and NI WSN-3212 four-channel, 24-bit thermocouple node have four digital I/O channels that can be configured for input, sinking output or sourcing output. The platform also includes the NI WSN-9791 Ethernet gateway, which is used to connect the measurement nodes to LabVIEW.
The wireless devices include NI-WSN software, which connects the NI wireless devices to LabVIEW software running on Microsoft Windows or a LabVIEW Real-Time host controller. NI-WSN software is based on IEEE 802.15.4 technology and gathers measurement data from the distributed measurement nodes.
The software also delivers capabilities for mesh routing and managing power usage across the network, making it possible to increase measurement distance while maintaining network reliability. Additionally, LabVIEW delivers seamless integration with wired measurement devices and a wide range of third-party wireless sensor network platforms.
While the measurement nodes are optimized for low-power, multiyear deployment with limited computing resources, LabVIEW provides the ability to customize the embedded software on each node using the LabVIEW Wireless Sensor Network Module Pioneer.
Programming customized logic on traditional wireless sensor network platforms often requires expertise in embedded operating systems and low-level, event-based programming. Using the intuitive graphical programming of LabVIEW, engineers and scientists easily can program the nodes to extend battery life, perform custom analysis and reduce response time with embedded decision making.
The adoption of wireless technology for remote monitoring applications is growing, yet engineers and scientists struggle to find an integrated solution that can provide the required measurement quality, power management and reliable hardware for long-term, remote deployments.
The NI WSN platform takes advantage of more than 30 years of NI data acquisition system leadership to deliver an easy-to-use solution that provides high-quality measurement data, the flexibility to manage power consumption and the ability to customize wireless hardware for added functionality.
A key differentiator of the platform is LabVIEW software, which integrates seamlessly with the new battery-powered, industrial-rated NI WSN measurement nodes that can be deployed in rugged conditions for long periods of time.
Engineers and scientists worldwide are adopting wireless technology to meet distributed and portable measurement applications challenges, such as structural health and environmental monitoring, where wiring is difficult or cost-prohibitive.
With the flexibility of LabVIEW, the NI WSN platform simplifies and accelerates the development of these applications by delivering a drag-and-drop programming environment for configuring wireless systems, extracting measurements, performing analysis and presenting data. LabVIEW also offers native Web connectivity for remote interaction with wireless systems.
“The NI WSN platform provides the ease-of-use necessary to quickly configure and deploy wireless sensors in a wide range of applications,” said Dr. William Kaiser, director of the Actuated, Sensing, Coordinated and Embedded Networked Technologies lab at UCLA.
“The Center for Embedded Network Systems at UCLA is actively deploying NI WSN sensors in a parking garage at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center to help patients and family quickly identify open parking locations and to research options for proactive communication to commuters on parking availability across campus. The use of NI technology will allow us to improve the commuter experience, reduce additional traffic and emissions as commuters search for parking."
National Instruments is releasing its first two WSN nodes and plans to expand the measurement capabilities of the NI WSN platform. The wireless measurement nodes are powered by four AA batteries for up to three years, making them ideal for long-term deployments.
The NI WSN-3202 four-channel, ± 10 V analog input node and NI WSN-3212 four-channel, 24-bit thermocouple node have four digital I/O channels that can be configured for input, sinking output or sourcing output. The platform also includes the NI WSN-9791 Ethernet gateway, which is used to connect the measurement nodes to LabVIEW.
The wireless devices include NI-WSN software, which connects the NI wireless devices to LabVIEW software running on Microsoft Windows or a LabVIEW Real-Time host controller. NI-WSN software is based on IEEE 802.15.4 technology and gathers measurement data from the distributed measurement nodes.
The software also delivers capabilities for mesh routing and managing power usage across the network, making it possible to increase measurement distance while maintaining network reliability. Additionally, LabVIEW delivers seamless integration with wired measurement devices and a wide range of third-party wireless sensor network platforms.
While the measurement nodes are optimized for low-power, multiyear deployment with limited computing resources, LabVIEW provides the ability to customize the embedded software on each node using the LabVIEW Wireless Sensor Network Module Pioneer.
Programming customized logic on traditional wireless sensor network platforms often requires expertise in embedded operating systems and low-level, event-based programming. Using the intuitive graphical programming of LabVIEW, engineers and scientists easily can program the nodes to extend battery life, perform custom analysis and reduce response time with embedded decision making.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
NI extends platforms to digital embedded sensors
AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments announced the availability of free communications intellectual property (IP) blocks for the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module that make it possible to add serial peripheral interface (SPI) and inter-integrated circuit (I2C) devices to embedded systems developed on NI reconfigurable I/O (RIO) hardware platforms.
National Instruments also has been working with component suppliers such as Analog Devices to develop drivers for common components such as microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors so that engineers and scientists quickly can integrate accelerometers, gyroscopes, temperature and other sensors into their embedded systems.
“With the new embedded sensor drivers for Analog Devices MEMS sensors, we are giving LabVIEW users an easy way to integrate ADI’s state-of-the-art sensors into their embedded devices,” said Bob Scannell, business development manager at Analog Devices.
Digital embedded sensors, which are used in applications ranging from automobiles to medical devices and consumer electronics, provide measurement feedback that is important to overall system performance.
Examples include sensors for monitoring environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and pressure; ultrasonic detectors for medical devices or sensors such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR); and inertial measurement unit (IMU) devices for mobile robotics.
Using new LabVIEW FPGA IP, engineers and scientists easily can incorporate devices based on SPI and I2C, two of the most widely used types of embedded digital communication protocols, with NI RIO hardware including the CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC), NI Single-Board RIO embedded devices and R Series multifunction RIO devices.
NI RIO hardware platforms, which share an architecture composed of a real-time processor, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and I/O modules, are ideal for applications that need the reliability of validated, off-the-shelf hardware and the flexibility of custom hardware and high-performance I/O capabilities.
Engineers and scientists with limited or no hardware design experience easily can program the FPGA on NI RIO platforms using the LabVIEW FPGA Module, which provides a graphical programming tool that abstracts the VHDL code used to configure the FPGA. LabVIEW also makes it easy to build and modify custom communication IP and inline digital processing in addition to integrating a wide array of analog and digital signals and sensors for future devices.
Readers can visit www.ni.com/ipnet to download the free LabVIEW FPGA IP for SPI and I2C sensors as well as the sensor drivers for Analog Devices MEMS sensors.
Readers can visit NI Developer Zone on www.ni.com to download a resource kit with more information on how to add digital embedded sensors to NI RIO-based systems.
National Instruments also has been working with component suppliers such as Analog Devices to develop drivers for common components such as microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors so that engineers and scientists quickly can integrate accelerometers, gyroscopes, temperature and other sensors into their embedded systems.
“With the new embedded sensor drivers for Analog Devices MEMS sensors, we are giving LabVIEW users an easy way to integrate ADI’s state-of-the-art sensors into their embedded devices,” said Bob Scannell, business development manager at Analog Devices.
Digital embedded sensors, which are used in applications ranging from automobiles to medical devices and consumer electronics, provide measurement feedback that is important to overall system performance.
Examples include sensors for monitoring environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and pressure; ultrasonic detectors for medical devices or sensors such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR); and inertial measurement unit (IMU) devices for mobile robotics.
Using new LabVIEW FPGA IP, engineers and scientists easily can incorporate devices based on SPI and I2C, two of the most widely used types of embedded digital communication protocols, with NI RIO hardware including the CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC), NI Single-Board RIO embedded devices and R Series multifunction RIO devices.
NI RIO hardware platforms, which share an architecture composed of a real-time processor, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and I/O modules, are ideal for applications that need the reliability of validated, off-the-shelf hardware and the flexibility of custom hardware and high-performance I/O capabilities.
Engineers and scientists with limited or no hardware design experience easily can program the FPGA on NI RIO platforms using the LabVIEW FPGA Module, which provides a graphical programming tool that abstracts the VHDL code used to configure the FPGA. LabVIEW also makes it easy to build and modify custom communication IP and inline digital processing in addition to integrating a wide array of analog and digital signals and sensors for future devices.
Readers can visit www.ni.com/ipnet to download the free LabVIEW FPGA IP for SPI and I2C sensors as well as the sensor drivers for Analog Devices MEMS sensors.
Readers can visit NI Developer Zone on www.ni.com to download a resource kit with more information on how to add digital embedded sensors to NI RIO-based systems.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
IUCEE organizes second national-level Faculty Leadership Institute (FLI)
MYSORE, INDIA: The Indo-US Collaboration for Engineering Education (IUCEE) organized the national-level faculty training program termed as Faculty Leadership Institute, in Mysore, for the second consecutive year, with over 600 selected Indian engineering faculty participating in more than 23 workshops.
The main objective of Faculty Leadership institute (FLI) is to improve the quality and global relevance of Engineering Education in India and in the United States. The training was provided by distinguished U.S. faculty from June 22, 2009 till July 10, 2009 at Global Education Center, Infosys Technologies, Mysore.
IUCEE has constituted the Faculty Leadership Institute (FLI) to impart training for engineering faculty through the ‘Facilitate the trainer’ approach. The target is to reach over 60,000 engineering faculty by the year 2013, thus making an impact on the vast student population.
Qualified professors from US, including Dr. Richard M. Felder, Hoechst Celanese Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University and Rebecca Brent, President of Education Designs, Inc., a consulting firm in Cary, North Carolina, will share knowledge through course content and delivery to selected Indian faculty.
The workshops include subjects like computer architecture and advanced graphical system design with National Instruments' Labview. Selected faculty members are mentored and certified by IUCEE to develop Training Kits and offer training through IUCEE regional centers of excellence for tier 2 and 3 colleges, in more than 10 states in India.
Several prestigious institutes in India, like the National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the US including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Virginia Tech University and Purdue University are associated with this program.
Ashank Desai, President of Pan IIT and Chairman of Mastek, says: “The Faculty Leadership Institute will help in creating a better education system and India as a nation will be recognised for its intellectual capability and competitiveness. It will enable students to be trained and be more industry-ready. This will empower the youth to face the challenges posed by the ever-changing global economy.”
The IUCEE was born out of the Pan IIT 2006 Conference held in Mumbai. One of the key action items identified for IITs and IITians post the conference was to contribute to nation building by assisting in the improvement of the quality of engineering education particularly the under graduate level throughout India.
Pan IIT, an organization of the alumni and faculty of Indian Institutes of Technology, has provided a strong foundation for building this Collaboration. The first Indo-US Faculty Leadership Institute was conducted in summer 2008, wherein 585 engineering faculty participated in 23 workshops.
Participants trained at these workshops have then conducted more than 60 regional workshops for the engineering faculty at IUCEE Regional Centers. This has resulted in an additional 2000 faculty being trained in the teaching methods, who in turn have impacted the learning of over 20,000 students so far.
Vijay Thadani, CEO, NIIT and Dr. Hans Hoyer, Director, Global Strategies for American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and Secretary General of International Federation of Engineering Societies (IFEES) have extended their support to the workshops. Executive Directors, Indo US Collaboration for Engineering Education -Prof. Krishna Vedula, Professor and Dean Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Lowell along with Dr M.P. Ravindra, Advisor, & Former Senior Vice President of Education and Research, Infosys, spearhead this initiative.
The main objective of Faculty Leadership institute (FLI) is to improve the quality and global relevance of Engineering Education in India and in the United States. The training was provided by distinguished U.S. faculty from June 22, 2009 till July 10, 2009 at Global Education Center, Infosys Technologies, Mysore.
IUCEE has constituted the Faculty Leadership Institute (FLI) to impart training for engineering faculty through the ‘Facilitate the trainer’ approach. The target is to reach over 60,000 engineering faculty by the year 2013, thus making an impact on the vast student population.
Qualified professors from US, including Dr. Richard M. Felder, Hoechst Celanese Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University and Rebecca Brent, President of Education Designs, Inc., a consulting firm in Cary, North Carolina, will share knowledge through course content and delivery to selected Indian faculty.
The workshops include subjects like computer architecture and advanced graphical system design with National Instruments' Labview. Selected faculty members are mentored and certified by IUCEE to develop Training Kits and offer training through IUCEE regional centers of excellence for tier 2 and 3 colleges, in more than 10 states in India.
Several prestigious institutes in India, like the National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the US including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Virginia Tech University and Purdue University are associated with this program.
Ashank Desai, President of Pan IIT and Chairman of Mastek, says: “The Faculty Leadership Institute will help in creating a better education system and India as a nation will be recognised for its intellectual capability and competitiveness. It will enable students to be trained and be more industry-ready. This will empower the youth to face the challenges posed by the ever-changing global economy.”
The IUCEE was born out of the Pan IIT 2006 Conference held in Mumbai. One of the key action items identified for IITs and IITians post the conference was to contribute to nation building by assisting in the improvement of the quality of engineering education particularly the under graduate level throughout India.
Pan IIT, an organization of the alumni and faculty of Indian Institutes of Technology, has provided a strong foundation for building this Collaboration. The first Indo-US Faculty Leadership Institute was conducted in summer 2008, wherein 585 engineering faculty participated in 23 workshops.
Participants trained at these workshops have then conducted more than 60 regional workshops for the engineering faculty at IUCEE Regional Centers. This has resulted in an additional 2000 faculty being trained in the teaching methods, who in turn have impacted the learning of over 20,000 students so far.
Vijay Thadani, CEO, NIIT and Dr. Hans Hoyer, Director, Global Strategies for American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and Secretary General of International Federation of Engineering Societies (IFEES) have extended their support to the workshops. Executive Directors, Indo US Collaboration for Engineering Education -Prof. Krishna Vedula, Professor and Dean Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Lowell along with Dr M.P. Ravindra, Advisor, & Former Senior Vice President of Education and Research, Infosys, spearhead this initiative.
Friday, June 19, 2009
NI's GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW
AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments has announced the NI GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW, an extension of the graphical system design environment that expands the NI RF PXI platform to provide engineers a cost-efficient, high-performance solution for GPS receiver testing that exceeds the capabilities of traditional box instruments.
The latest version of the GPS Simulation Toolkit gives engineers new satellite simulation features including extended time duration of non-repeating GPS satellite signals and the ability to customize motion profiles for mobile receiver tests.
The GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW offers engineers an easy-to-use graphical API for validating and testing GPS receivers. Using the toolkit, engineers can simulate C/A codes for up to 12 satellites in the L1 band.
The toolkit also features waveform creation tools to specify both the receiver location and velocity, and the ability to create waveforms with up to 24 hours of non-repeating GPS satellite signals, giving engineers a longer period of non-repeating simulation data than other GPS test solutions. This makes it possible for engineers to achieve extended reliability testing and superior control over signal impairments introduced during design verification testing.
The latest version of the toolkit also adds new capabilities for generating custom motion trajectories, so engineers can simulate the signals that GPS receivers capture on specific routes.
The ability to simulate these signals using software-defined instrumentation helps engineers conduct customized and repeatable tests featuring route-specific signals without performing expensive drive tests. Additionally, with the GPS Simulation Toolkit, engineers can adjust individual satellite signal powers during signal generation for dynamic range and scenario-specific tests.
The NI RF PXI platform for GPS simulation and test includes the GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW, NI PXIe-5672/73 vector signal generator, NI 8260 in-chassis RAID hard drive, NI PXIe-8106 dual-core controller and NI PXIe-1062Q eight-slot chassis.
Engineers can store up to 45 hours of simulated GPS signals on the 1 TB NI 8260 in-chassis RAID hard drive and stream the GPS waveforms from disk using the NI PXIe-5672/73 vector signal generators for customized and repeatable GPS receiver testing.
The latest version of the GPS Simulation Toolkit gives engineers new satellite simulation features including extended time duration of non-repeating GPS satellite signals and the ability to customize motion profiles for mobile receiver tests.
The GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW offers engineers an easy-to-use graphical API for validating and testing GPS receivers. Using the toolkit, engineers can simulate C/A codes for up to 12 satellites in the L1 band.
The toolkit also features waveform creation tools to specify both the receiver location and velocity, and the ability to create waveforms with up to 24 hours of non-repeating GPS satellite signals, giving engineers a longer period of non-repeating simulation data than other GPS test solutions. This makes it possible for engineers to achieve extended reliability testing and superior control over signal impairments introduced during design verification testing.
The latest version of the toolkit also adds new capabilities for generating custom motion trajectories, so engineers can simulate the signals that GPS receivers capture on specific routes.
The ability to simulate these signals using software-defined instrumentation helps engineers conduct customized and repeatable tests featuring route-specific signals without performing expensive drive tests. Additionally, with the GPS Simulation Toolkit, engineers can adjust individual satellite signal powers during signal generation for dynamic range and scenario-specific tests.
The NI RF PXI platform for GPS simulation and test includes the GPS Simulation Toolkit 1.5 for LabVIEW, NI PXIe-5672/73 vector signal generator, NI 8260 in-chassis RAID hard drive, NI PXIe-8106 dual-core controller and NI PXIe-1062Q eight-slot chassis.
Engineers can store up to 45 hours of simulated GPS signals on the 1 TB NI 8260 in-chassis RAID hard drive and stream the GPS waveforms from disk using the NI PXIe-5672/73 vector signal generators for customized and repeatable GPS receiver testing.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
NI LabVIEW provides off-the-shelf EPICS integration
AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments (NI) announced that the NI LabVIEW graphical system design platform now integrates with the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) input/output controller (IOC), which is used in the control systems of particle accelerators, tokamak fusion devices and other big physics applications.
With LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration, engineers and scientists can use LabVIEW as a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution for integrating industrial control and data acquisition hardware, a task that previously required custom driver development.
Since the EPICS set of open-source control system applications has become a de facto standard for particle physics experimentation systems throughout the United States and other countries, National Instruments has been collaborating with experts in the field to improve hardware integration for these applications.
NI engineers worked with Slovenia-based Cosylab, a National Instruments Alliance Partner and provider of turnkey particle accelerator control systems, to implement an interface between LabVIEW and the EPICS IOC on embedded hardware for the linear accelerator project at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) in New Mexico.
The solution, based on the Wind River VxWorks real-time operating system, incorporated the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller and demonstrated that, with LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration, EPICS can run simultaneously with the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to interface with I/O that is based on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology for high-speed data acquisition and control.
"With LabVIEW integration for EPICS, scientists and engineers can use the latest COTS hardware, such as NI CompactRIO and PXI instrumentation, for the variety of advanced control and data acquisition needs associated with experimental physics applications," said Dr. James Truchard, president, CEO and cofounder of National Instruments and former physicist at Applied Research Laboratories of The University of Texas at Austin. "We are continuing to expand the ways we integrate LabVIEW with EPICS, with the end goal being high-performance flexibility that simplifies sophisticated tasks. With the advanced features available through commercial hardware and software, we can help physicists and engineers focus on performing their experiments rather than spending time developing custom hardware and drivers."
CompactRIO offers an embedded hardware platform that features FPGA-based I/O. With FPGA technology, systems become inherently parallel, efficient and reliable, which makes FPGA-based hardware valuable for critical systems, such as those in particle accelerators. Additionally, scientists can program FPGAs using LabVIEW for enhanced system flexibility.
The results that LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration delivers can be used for a variety of advanced applications that require a simplified means by which physicists can integrate all hardware instruments within their accelerators and other devices. The LabVIEW EPICS solution is ideal for streamlining the control of tokamaks and accelerators because it reduces the need for time-intensive hardware development and custom driver implementation.
With LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration, engineers and scientists can use LabVIEW as a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution for integrating industrial control and data acquisition hardware, a task that previously required custom driver development.
Since the EPICS set of open-source control system applications has become a de facto standard for particle physics experimentation systems throughout the United States and other countries, National Instruments has been collaborating with experts in the field to improve hardware integration for these applications.
NI engineers worked with Slovenia-based Cosylab, a National Instruments Alliance Partner and provider of turnkey particle accelerator control systems, to implement an interface between LabVIEW and the EPICS IOC on embedded hardware for the linear accelerator project at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) in New Mexico.
The solution, based on the Wind River VxWorks real-time operating system, incorporated the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller and demonstrated that, with LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration, EPICS can run simultaneously with the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to interface with I/O that is based on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology for high-speed data acquisition and control.
"With LabVIEW integration for EPICS, scientists and engineers can use the latest COTS hardware, such as NI CompactRIO and PXI instrumentation, for the variety of advanced control and data acquisition needs associated with experimental physics applications," said Dr. James Truchard, president, CEO and cofounder of National Instruments and former physicist at Applied Research Laboratories of The University of Texas at Austin. "We are continuing to expand the ways we integrate LabVIEW with EPICS, with the end goal being high-performance flexibility that simplifies sophisticated tasks. With the advanced features available through commercial hardware and software, we can help physicists and engineers focus on performing their experiments rather than spending time developing custom hardware and drivers."
CompactRIO offers an embedded hardware platform that features FPGA-based I/O. With FPGA technology, systems become inherently parallel, efficient and reliable, which makes FPGA-based hardware valuable for critical systems, such as those in particle accelerators. Additionally, scientists can program FPGAs using LabVIEW for enhanced system flexibility.
The results that LabVIEW EPICS IOC integration delivers can be used for a variety of advanced applications that require a simplified means by which physicists can integrate all hardware instruments within their accelerators and other devices. The LabVIEW EPICS solution is ideal for streamlining the control of tokamaks and accelerators because it reduces the need for time-intensive hardware development and custom driver implementation.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
NI intros PXI Express reconfigurable IF transceiver
AUSTIN, USA: National Instruments announced the NI PXIe-5641R RIO IF transceiver, the company's most recent device for RF test.
The NI PXIe-5641R is a dual-input, dual-output module that combines an intermediate frequency (IF) transceiver with reconfigurable I/O (RIO) capability using a Xilinx Virtex-5 SX95T field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and PXI Express technology.
With this new module, engineers can take advantage of the flexibility of the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module and the performance of PXI Express for applications such as RF test, software-defined radio, signal intelligence and communication system design.
With the NI PXIe-5641R IF transceiver, engineers have the ability to incorporate customized, real-time RF stimulus and response into their test, measurement and communication systems through user-programmable FPGAs on RIO hardware. The test hardware then becomes protocol-aware, dynamically changing measurements and stimuli based on the response of the device under test.
Protocol-aware or real-time test is beneficial in applications such as RFID tag testing, cellular base station emulation or any hardware-in-the-loop RF testing. For communications applications such as software-defined radio and signal intelligence, engineers can use FPGAs to prototype and implement new communication standards and perform real-time signal analysis and event detection.
The NI PXIe-5641R has two 14-bit, 100 MS/s analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with built-in 20 MHz bandwidth digital downconverters (DDCs), and two 14-bit, 200 MS/s digital-to-analog converters (DACs) with built-in 20 MHz bandwidth digital upconverters (DUCs).
Because of these NI RF upconverters and downconverters, the NI PXIe-5641R can support RF frequencies up to 2.7 GHz, making the module ideal for spectral monitoring and signal intelligence as well as real-time RF test. Engineers can take full advantage of the NI PXIe-5641R by using the LabVIEW FPGA Module, which extends the LabVIEW graphical development environment to target NI RIO hardware.
The NI PXIe-5641R is a dual-input, dual-output module that combines an intermediate frequency (IF) transceiver with reconfigurable I/O (RIO) capability using a Xilinx Virtex-5 SX95T field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and PXI Express technology.
With this new module, engineers can take advantage of the flexibility of the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module and the performance of PXI Express for applications such as RF test, software-defined radio, signal intelligence and communication system design.
With the NI PXIe-5641R IF transceiver, engineers have the ability to incorporate customized, real-time RF stimulus and response into their test, measurement and communication systems through user-programmable FPGAs on RIO hardware. The test hardware then becomes protocol-aware, dynamically changing measurements and stimuli based on the response of the device under test.
Protocol-aware or real-time test is beneficial in applications such as RFID tag testing, cellular base station emulation or any hardware-in-the-loop RF testing. For communications applications such as software-defined radio and signal intelligence, engineers can use FPGAs to prototype and implement new communication standards and perform real-time signal analysis and event detection.
The NI PXIe-5641R has two 14-bit, 100 MS/s analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with built-in 20 MHz bandwidth digital downconverters (DDCs), and two 14-bit, 200 MS/s digital-to-analog converters (DACs) with built-in 20 MHz bandwidth digital upconverters (DUCs).
Because of these NI RF upconverters and downconverters, the NI PXIe-5641R can support RF frequencies up to 2.7 GHz, making the module ideal for spectral monitoring and signal intelligence as well as real-time RF test. Engineers can take full advantage of the NI PXIe-5641R by using the LabVIEW FPGA Module, which extends the LabVIEW graphical development environment to target NI RIO hardware.
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