ation generstems t s e t The labedded sy signs of em ke your de Page 3 can ta next level to the
One Semester, One Device: Student Design Wont Know What Hit It
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Tips and Tricks for Making That Tough Third-Order Intercept Measurement
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3 Ways LabVIEW 2013 FPGA Helps You Develop Complex Test Applications Faster
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Executive Editor R ay Almgren Editor in Chief Stacy Schmitt Managing Editor L acy Rohre Associate Editors L aura Arnold, Joelle Pearson, Brittany Wilson Contributing Editor J ohanna Gilmore Creative Manager Joe Silva Project Manager Pamela Mapua Art Director Larry Leung Designer Komal Deep Buyo Illustrator Komal Deep Buyo Photo Editors N icole Kinbarovsky, Allie Verlander Image Coordinator Kathy Brown Production Artist Komal Deep Buyo Production Specialist Richard Buerger
You cant tell just by looking at it, but the new NI cRIO-9068 controller represents a complete redesign of the CompactRIO platform to deliver improved performance and flexibility.
When National Instruments set out to reinvent the CompactRIO platform with a completely new set of underlying technologies, the first requirement was to maintain compatibility with the existing platform ecosystem and make code portability a seamless part of the process. The only other rule: improve everything. NI introduced CompactRIO in 2004. From the beginning, the platform was built upon the NI LabVIEW reconfigurable I/O (RIO) architecture, getting its brains from NILabVIEW system design software and its power from a key mix of programmable processors, FPGAs, and modular I/O. Since then, NI has updated, expanded, and honed the platform to include processing targets with unparalleled clock rates, a variety of Xilinx FPGAs from four different technology generations, and more than 70 different I/O modules. This combination of features gives system designers with specific domain expertise a consistent platform that makes it possible to innovate fast and implement advanced systems in a fraction of the time of custom design. Engineers and scientists worldwide use CompactRIO to solve challenging monitoring and control applications such as suppressing
fires on cargo airplanes, generating electricity by controlling the flight of tethered kites, and precisely stacking 20 tons of wet concrete. With all the momentum behind it, fundamentally changing the CompactRIO platform is not something that NI decided on a whim. Providing you with cutting-edge technology, while protecting your previous investments in tools and existing designs, is critical.
CONTENTS
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NI CompactRIO Like Youve Never Seen It Before One Semester, One Device: Student Design Wont Know What Hit It Utilities Embrace Distributed Energy Production Using the NI Platform
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NI, LabVIEW, and LEGO: Teamwork for Education Inspiring Student Innovation Through Competition LabVIEW 2013: All Systems. Go.
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Achieving Highest Power Density With a New Generation of Power Supplies The Evolution of DAQ
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3 Ways LabVIEW 2013 FPGA Helps You Develop Complex Test Applications Faster Restoring and Improving Urban Infrastructure
A 667 MHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, which delivers four times the performance of existing 8-slot CompactRIO systems in the value family of devices
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Tips and Tricks for Making That Tough Third-Order Intercept Measurement
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Xilinx 7 Series FPGA fabric with 85,000 logic cells for custom timing, triggering, and I/O or signal processing
develop a new Linux-based RTOS to best support the latest ARM-based processor and give real-time application developers increased flexibility. To ensure the reliability and backward compatibility of the new NI Linux RTOS are secure, NI R&D invested over 60 years of effort into the product development process. NI R&D included deep regression testing, developed applications in the same ways NIcustomers
that is indistinguishable from previous CompactRIO systems, allowing you to take full advantage of new features without changing the way you develop and design embedded systems. NI Linux Real-Time gives you full
Processor Utilizatiion (percent) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Control Application Benchmark (6X Improvement) Streaming Task Benchmark (6X Improvement) NI cRIO-9074 NI cRIO-9068
16 DMA channels to stream the data you need 220 digital signal processor (DSP)slices Extended operating temperature range of -40 to 70 C making the controller ideal for harsh environment applications While all of these technologies are
support for multiple network adapters and an improved network stack, an enhanced process scheduler, and an advanced file system with automatic data compression. For users familiar
making their debut on the CompactRIO platform in 2013, LabVIEW exposes them via existing, familiar APIs. Your existing applications can migrate to the new controller and, with zero code changes, take advantage of all performance improvements.
Within 24 hours of receiving an NI cRIO-9068 controller, we ran our existing LabVIEW built application software without any problems. We were impressed by how easy the software transition between CompactRIO systems was, and by the incredible performance improvement of the new software-designed controller.
Bob Leigh, LocalGrid Technologies, NI Alliance Partner
The NI cRIO-9068 controller delivers a 6X reduction in processor utilization compared to the NI cRIO-9074 for a control application benchmark and data streaming tasks.
do, implemented features to smooth code portability between CompactRIO systems, and carried out one of NIs most extensive early access programs. The result is a development experience
with Linux, the vast ecosystem of community-generated software is accessible directly from LabVIEW. NILinux Real-Time also makes it possible to reuse existing C/C++ code
or development expertise with support for the Eclipse Development Environment. Now, you can integrate code libraries into LabVIEW Real-Time applications, or even develop stand-alone executables interfacing directly to a LabVIEW FPGA application.
power while the NI cRIO-9068 controller used just 11percent. NI also benchmarked the new CompactRIO controllers ability to transfer data from I/O channels to a real-time application, a task common in monitoring systems. Each I/O channels data stream consisted of 16-bit samples transferred at 100 kHz. The NI cRIO-9074 used 46percent of its available processor power to stream 10 channels of I/O data while the NIcRIO-9068 only needed 7percent. This gives you significantly more loop time to process data than ever before in a value CompactRIO product.
culmination of the vision defined by NI for CompactRIO nearly a decade ago, and the vision we see for embedded systems of the future. The real secret to the newest CompactRIO controller isnt a single feature, its the ability to seamlessly integrate numerous innovative technologies to deliver a powerful and flexible platform thats ready to meet tomorrows most demanding embedded applications head on. Match the features of the NI cRIO-9068 controller to your current systems at ni.com/crio-9068. Matt Spexarth matt.spexarth@ni.com Matt is an embedded systems senior product marketing manager at NI. Asa Kirby asa.kirby@ni.com Asa is an embedded systems product marketing manager at NI.
Processor
Memory/ Storage
512 MB, 1 GB 128 MB, 256 MB 64 MB, 128 MB 256 MB, 512 MB 128 MB, 256 MB
Built-In Peripherals
Dual RS232, RS485, Dual 1Gbit/s ENET, USB RS232, Dual 100Mbit/s ENET RS232, 100Mbit/s ENET RS232, 100Mbit/s ENET, USB RS232, 100Mbit/s ENET
cRIO-9068
667 MHz Dual-Core ARM 400 MHz PowerPC 400 MHz PowerPC 400 MHz PowerPC 400 MHz PowerPC
8 8 4 4
The CompactRIO value family of systems delivers performance and flexibility at excellent prices.
Instrumentation Newsletter
Feature
One Semester, One Device: Student Design Wont Know What Hit It
Engineers know that building systems is a daunting task and that time is the enemy when completing complex projects. Engineering students feel this same pressure in their final semester when they are asked to draw on the knowledge they have gained over four years to create a real-world system in a matter of weeks. Students are taught the core concepts of controls and mechatronics, but arent introduced to comprehensive system design until these final year projects. The tools used to teach these concepts often require a great deal of time to program or lack the power to implement sophisticated applications. Students arrive at their final year design class with imaginative ideas, but the tools made available to them make it challenging to complete the projects they envision in one semester. As a tools provider, NI looks for ways to help close the gap. We believe that an engineers tools shouldnt stand in the way of innovation and that the best approach to system design is through the use of a software platform that seamlessly integrates with hardware. For years, NI has provided industry with the tools of system design through the use of the NI LabVIEW graphical programming platform. We accelerate discovery by combining hardware and software into tools that engineers can use to build some of the most complex systems in the world. Now its time to put the tools of system design in the hands of students.
concepts that culminate in the students ability to ultimately do engineering in the real world. NI myRIO is built around NIs industry leading reconfigurable I/O (RIO) technology, but with an educational focus. Students using NI myRIO will design sophisticated systems in school and enter industry with the distinct advantage of having experience with the tools of the trade. Additionally, NI has partnered with professors around the globe to create courseware specifically for NI myRIO. From controls and embedded courses to mechatronics and robotics, the device is paired with courseware to ensure immediate effectiveness in the classroom. The NI myRIO Project Essentials Guide provides step-by-step instructions for connecting and programming commonly used sensors and actuators. Students can work independently on these projects and ensure that lab
Using LabVIEW, students can begin programming with Express VIs and then graduate to more complex modes of programming as they feel comfortable.
time is spent innovating and perfecting their design rather than determining how to use the tool. Todays market is flooded with solutions of varying prices and capabilities, but only NI myRIO gives students exposure to advanced industry-relevant technology that enables real-world system design in one semester. While the tools of the past have served the purpose of getting students a basic vocabulary that allows them to get their first job, the next generation of engineers will now learn on the same technology used in industry and enter the workplace as experienced system designers, innovation-ready from day one. To learn more, visit ni.com/myrio.
Using LabVIEW, students can take advantage of these hardware features and create autonomous systems through a custom API that allows students to begin programming with configuration-based Express VIs and then graduate to more complex modes of programming as they feel comfortable. Students can also incorporate their knowledge of other software by implementing C code or .m script on the LabVIEW block diagram or by programming the dual-core ARM processor completely in C/C++. Additionally, NI myRIO ships with a predefined FPGA personality that interprets some DIO as PWM, encoder input, UART, SPI, and I2C. Students can get started with this I/O and later customize it using the graphical LabVIEW FPGA interface as needed.
Xilinx Zynq 7 Series FPGA and dual-core ARM User-defined LEDs Cortex-A9 processor
Student Ready
Integrated WiFi Onboard 3-axis accelerometer 40 lines of digital I/O (SPI, I C, UART, PWM, encoder) 10 channels analog input, 6 channels analog output
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Knowing that students typically have one semester to complete projects, the NI design team defined the specs and features for NI myRIO to accelerate student design. Students can take their first measurement in a matter of minutes after setting up NI myRIO. They can learn from in-product tutorials as well as guided online video instruction made specifically for them. Students can learn concepts that are core to their engineering discipline and then use those concepts to design real-world engineering systemsall on one device, and all within one semester.
From controls and embedded courses to mechatronics and robotics, the NI myRIO device is paired with courseware to ensure effectiveness in the classroom.
Margaret Barrett margaret.barrett@ni.com Margaret is an academic product manager for controls, robotics, mechatronics, and embedded hardware and software at NI.
User-defined button
The cutting-edge features of the new NI myRIO allow engineering students to complete complex senior design projects in just one semester.
ni.com
Case Studies
The Challenge
Maximizing the destruction of cancerous tumor cells while minimizing healthy tissue damage in patients.
The Solution
Using NI technology to advance a unique, more accurate form of cancer treatment, hadrontherapy or proton therapy, where accelerated particle beams target deep-seated cancer cells.
The Challenge
Population growth, urban sprawl, and renewable power generation are driving the need for a decentralized power grid architecture.
The Solution
Using an NI cRIO-9068 controller and LocalGrid eGridOS software developed with NI LabVIEW software, utilities can quickly and cost-effectively deploy microgrid solutions that are modular and standards based.
The flexibility of the PXI architecture coupled with the capabilities of LabVIEW and the fantastic
performance of NI RIO solutions helped us control an advanced deep cancer treatment facility based on hadrontherapy.
Fausto Distante, SIDeA, Silver NI Alliance Partner
hardware, measure beam intensity every microsecond and beam position every 100 s with 100 m to 200 m accuracy. To watch a video of this hadrontherapy system in action, visit ni.com/newsletter /nsi3301.
transformers and moving more power through assets in off peak-hours. With detailed data on the behavior of the grid, utilities can also make targeted asset investments based on real needs to optimize growth management. Lastly, the availability of real-time data, analysis, and autonomous control actions can allow utilities to do more with existing assets to isolate and correct faults and improve grid stability. Distributed control and generation capabilities means the grid is potentially less susceptible to point failures. To read the full technical case study, visit ni.com/newsletter/nsi3302.
To address these challenges, NI Alliance Partner LocalGrid Technologies is demonstrating a project using decentralized energy management technology with Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (Toronto Hydro). The goal is to develop a modernized grid with increased automated control at the local level. The challenges in building a microgrid or distribution topology system are that each installation is different and building the software for these systems from scratch is usually
Instrumentation Newsletter
Test Techniques
Tips and Tricks for Making That Tough Third-Order Intercept Measurement
Ensure measurement accuracy in your next high-linearity IP3 measurements.
Engineers frequently perform third-order intercept (IP3) measurements to better understand the linearity of a device under test. IP3 measurements at high-power levels (+40 dBm and higher) are often some of the most difficult measurements to make. One reason for this difficulty is that to obtain an accurate measurement, the third-order distortion products of both the source and signal analyzer must be smaller (ideally 20dB less) than the distortion products introduced by the device under test (DUT). Given the difficulty of making high-linearity IP3 measurements, the following techniques can help you ensure measurement accuracy. When making an IP3 measurement, you can start by producing a highly linear two-tone source. Although a vector signal generator in multitone mode is one way to produce a two-tone signal, this solution usually does not have sufficient distortion performance for the most demanding IP3 measurements. Instead, the best method to produce a clean two-tone signal is to use two signal
Power
Power
generators through a combiner. Here, source isolation is the key to a successful IP3 measurement. Without sufficient source isolation, RF energy from one source can leak into the other source.
conditioning. To prevent clipping, you typically configure the gain of the analyzer to use an IF power that is slightly less than the full scale of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). You can improve the noise floor of the instrument by setting a narrow IF bandwidth and increasing the IF power level.
NI PXIe-5665 VSA
Toaccomplish this, you have to space the distortion tones sothey exceed the bandwidth of the analyzers IF filter. Thefigure above depicts an example of this implementation.
This IP3 measurement setup shows unwanted transmissions from a lack of source isolation (denoted by the light blue and dark blue arrows.)
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LabVIEW Everywhere
POWERED BY
NI in Academia
The advanced Math block empowers students to use and better understand equations used to control their robots behaviors. The execution highlight and the probe will enable users to learn about the debugging process. Loop interruption, advanced calculation, and array data types will allow advanced users to go further in programming and unleash the EV3 programmable brick potential. The integrated content editor enables students and educators to document their projects, create new activities, and learn how to share and communicate with the community. Data logging is a unique upgrade to the Education edition. In addition to facilitating live monitoring of the sensors values, the new Graph Programming feature makes data logging much more interesting. Users can create zones onthe graphics that will make the robot react when thecurve enter a zone. This feature brings suspense, excitement, and joy when reading graphs. We are very happy that so many educators from all over
Its easy to talk about the fruits of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Seeing it in action is rare. Recently, National Instruments followed three student groups who are sweeping FLL, FTC, and FRC competitions on a regional and national level. Through LabVIEW softwares intuitive interface and the approachable LEGO design, these school children are learning to master robotics before they can drive cars. The side effects of this collaboration are the real highlights: Invitations to MIT or internships with SpaceX. Seeing how engineering comes aliveand falling in love with learning. What could the FIRST program do for your school?
Get ideas and see the documentaries at poweredby.labview.com.
the globe gave us valuable input during the development process, and we were able to incorporate much of that with the help of NI. For all of Albouys insights into the LEGO and NI partnership, read the full interview at ni.com/legointerview.
From inexpensive medical devices to complex underwater autonomous vehicles, NI encourages students to engineer a better world using the LabVIEW.
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Product In-Depth
recognition (OCR) to increase performance in nonideal settings. Vision is on the rise, and the LabVIEW Vision Development Module can make your machine faster, safer, and smarter.
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Special Focus
NI CompactRIO
LabVIEW
Industrial Controller
Engine Controller
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Product In-Depth
Take High-Quality Measurements in Rugged Environments With the New NI CompactDAQ Chassis
The NI cDAQ-9188XT is an 8-slot NI CompactDAQ Ethernet chassis designed for distributed or remote measurements in rugged environments. With a temperature range of -40 C to 70 C and 50 g shock and 5 g vibration operating specifications, you can now take high-quality streaming measurements in industrial environments. The chassis has also been tested and certified to operate in Class 1, Division 2, and ATEX hazardous locations. The NI CompactDAQ platform delivers high-speed data and ease of use in a flexible, mixed-measurement system. The rugged chassis also has native integration with NILabVIEW system design software, which offers hardwareabstracted DAQ, extensive signal processing libraries, and user interface controls built for measurement data visualization and storage. Additionally, the chassis is the first in the NI CompactDAQ product line to offer an onboard watchdog with defined safe states to help protect your tests and equipment. With 10 chassis options, three buses, and over 50 C Series modules featuring a wide range of connectivity and I/O, you can use NICompactDAQ and LabVIEW to solve your application with reliable modular hardware and software options in demanding environments.
The NI cDAQ-9188XT is a rugged 8-slot Ethernet chassis that delivers the measurement quality and flexibility of NI CompactDAQ to more demanding environments.
NI PXIe-4112
2 channels 60 V at 1 A per channel 5.2 kS/s sample rate
NI PXIe-4113
2 channels 10 V at 6 A per channel 5.2 kS/s sample rate
test management software such as NITestStand, you can avoid the long-term maintenance costs of custom solutions and instead focus on building better products. A key advantage of NITestStand is that you can easily reuse existing test code because it has built-in integration for test code written in NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows/CVI, C++, C#.NET, and a number of other languages. With nearly 15 years in the market, NITestStand 2013 offers many new features that can improve your test times and overall workflow. With the new release, you can simplify the management of existing deployments through installer patching, use more system memory with Large Address Aware support, and take advantage of improved integration with both LabVIEW and .NET languages.
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Development Time (in Days) 80 90 100
With Chameleon, you can configure single-chassis systems or combine and synchronize multiple chassis for high-channel-count applications. Chameleon has a proven track record with Northrop Grumman Company and Raytheon BBM Technologies for applications such as vibration monitoring, impact testing, and jet engine testing.
Need to get a data-logging system up and running in minutes? Chameleon software developed by Gold NI Alliance Partner PVI Systems is an intuitive configuration-based DAQ tool, powered by NI LabVIEW system design software, for sensor measurements with the NI CompactDAQ platform. This new, stand-alone software has a simple user interface that you can use to easily build a system to acquire static and dynamic signals without any programming. Chameleon software is designed to
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Product In-Depth
Increase Processing Capability With the New 7 Series NI FlexRIO FPGA Module
Introduced during NIWeek 2013, the NI PXIe-7975R is the latest addition to theNI FlexRIO FPGA platform. Built on the NI LabVIEW reconfigurable I/O (RIO) architecture, NI FlexRIO combines high-performance modular I/O, powerful Xilinx FPGAs, and PC-based technologies into a platform that is ideally suited for onboard processing and real-time analysis. This new series of modules adds extra features by incorporating the new Kintex-7 FPGAs from Xilinx, allowing for more parallel processing, more complex algorithms, and faster data transfer rates. The 7 Series FPGAs are optimized for streaming and digital signal processing applications. Thanks to its PCI Express x4 Gen 2 data bus, the new NIFlexRIO can transfer data back to a host processor at sustained rates of more than 1.6 GB/s: twice as fast as its predecessor. This FPGA module has four times the on-board DRAM as the previous generation, for a total of 2 GB, and the interface to that DRAM is almost three times as fast. And finally, users can access about twice the internal memory and digital signal processing slices as before. Overall, the NIPXIe-7975R is an example of how the LabVIEW RIO architecture empowers engineers to take direct advantage of the technological advances made possible by Moores law. The new NI FlexRIO modules take advantage of the highest performance I/O adapter modules available from NI to help you tackle embedded applications such as software defined radio, medical imaging, signal intelligence, and scientific research. When you design a system, you face not only increasing algorithm complexity and data throughput requirements but also ever more stringent time-to-market requirements to stay competitive. The unique combination of powerful hardware and productive software makes evolve, FPGAs are increasingly used to achieve protocol aware , real-time communication with devices under test. And using NI peer-to-peer streaming technology allows NI FlexRIO modules to act as coprocessors and take advantage of the parallelism of FPGAs to accelerate calculations from the host controller to lower test times.
Product: NI-RFSA and NI-RFSG Instrument Driver FPGA extensions Source: ni.com/vstgettingstarted
Host
NI-RFSA and NI-RFSG Host API
FPGA
NI-RFSA and NI-RFSG FPGA API Abstraction
The new NI FlexRIO modules exemplify how LabVIEW RIO architecture empowers engineers to utilize the technological advances made possible by Moores law.
NI FlexRIO offers the most flexible and productive way to harness the most powerful FPGAs available. The introduction of the NI PXIe-7975R takes this architecture to the next step of evolution.
NIFlexRIO the ideal architecture to design, prototype, and deploy high-performance applications. The newest NI FlexRIO FPGA modules can also be used to augment the capabilities of test systems. As digital interfaces
NI RIO
The NI-RIO API provides host-to-FPGA communication for both the NI-RFSA and NI-RFSG instrument drivers and the application-specific IP.
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Product In-Depth
The Alliance Partner Directory allows NI customers to search by location, industry, or application, and view specific information about each Alliance Partner. The NI Camera Network offers an easy way to find NI-compatible machine vision cameras for your applications.
Have you ever wandered the aisles of a home improvement store searching for the right tool for a project? You may only need a
3 Narrow your search by the service you need (training, consultation, or integration) 4 Find companies with NI and industry certifications and extensive NI product knowledge 5 Read what other customers are saying in reviews 6 Download examples of solutions our Alliance Partners have delivered 7 Request that an Alliance Partner contact you directly Find the assistance you need today by searching the NIAlliance Partner Directory at ni.com/ndapartner.
Green Engineering Grant Program Accelerates the Advancement of Clean Energy Technologies
To help support and further advance smart grid and clean energy technology, NI launched the Green Engineering Grant Program in January 2010. This program gives engineers and scientists of start-up companies and research groups around the world easier access to the most advanced graphical system design tools for addressing todays toughest energy challenges. Now in its fourth year, the Green Engineering Grant Program has helped over 50 companies create and develop innovative monitoring and control solutions for distributed energy generation, energy storage, electrical vehicles, and grid-tied power electronics control systems. If your next project relates to clean energy or electrical power, it might be a great fit for the Green Engineering Grant Program. Apply for the program by November 1 at ni.com/green-engineering-grant.
hammer and nails to hang a portrait, but what about adding a bathroom? A home expansion project probably needs more than just the right tools; it needs a professional. At National Instruments, we know our customers have big projects that often require more than just a hammer and nails, which is why we have a vast network of trusted partners that can help your team accomplish its goal. Additionally, you can use our directory to locate a professional with the exact skills for the job. With the Alliance Partner Directory, you can 1 Search based on your location using a map and location drop-down 2 Find Alliance Partners within your specific industry or application area
National Instruments
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ISA PCI
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E Series PXI
2004 2003
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NI NB-MIO-16 (1988)
National Instruments customers have used data acquisition to solve some of the worlds most demanding engineering challenges for the last quarter century. NIs DAQ platform began with the launch of a plug-in DAQ board that featured NI LabVIEW system design software. LabVIEW revolutionized the DAQ market by replacing much of the functionality of box instruments while providing additional exibility and analysis. Todays systems are modular, distributed, and intelligent, making it possible for engineers and scientists to get accurate data from anywhere and transform it into decisions faster. NI continues to invest in DAQ systems to meet the changing demands of the latest applications.
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PCI Express, NI CompactDAQ NI WiFi DAQ, Ethernet DAQ
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1-Slot NI CompactDAQ NI CompactDAQ Stand-Alone Chassis
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Developers View
3 Ways LabVIEW FPGA Helps You Develop Complex Test Applications Faster
Large IP libraries, a high-fidelity simulator, and easier debugging match the new LabVIEW FPGA to the complexity of modern devices.
Taking advantage of FPGA-based hardware in your test systems provides a number of benefits ranging from low-latency device under test (DUT) control to high-performance signal processing. For years, developers have used the NILabVIEW FPGA Module to incorporate FPGAs into their systems to reduce test times and increase overall measurement performance. More recently, the software platform has evolved to address some of the most complex applications, including software-defined RF instrumentation. Through this evolution, LabVIEW FPGA has integrated cutting-edge technologies while maintaining a highly productive software environment that test developers use to more efficiently and effectively design, simulate, and debug high-throughput test systems. With these enhancements, the latest version of LabVIEW FPGA offers a significant advantage over other FPGA design tools.
Graphical Abstraction
Traditional development for complex test systems requires using low-level software tools such as a hardware description language (HDL), which can be tedious and time consuming. To help developers deliver these systems faster, LabVIEW FPGA provides a graphical programming language that abstracts complex items such as I/O interfaces and data communication. For example, LabVIEW FPGA provides graphical configuration-based blocks for DMA transfer, so you can quickly stream data between an FPGA device and host. Because LabVIEW FPGA abstracts I/O, you can quickly interface to and customize some of the highest performance hardware available for real-time signal processing and control, including NI FlexRIO and the worlds first vector signal transceiver (VST).
LabVIEW FPGA increases productivity by abstracting complex items such as DMA.
simulation capabilities and debugging tools, including several new features to further enhance the experience. When developing a block of IP in LabVIEW FPGA, such as a filter, you can quickly verify the functionality by running it on the desktop where you have access to hundreds of math and analysis libraries. Additionally, you can debug the algorithm using core LabVIEW debugging features such as highlight execution, breakpoints, and probes. When youre ready to verify the algorithm further with bit true simulation, you can change the execution of your VI from the desktop to the built-in FPGA simulator with just one click. NI has improved the fidelity of the built-in simulator over the past few years, so you can spend more time in simulation prior to compilation. The new Waveform Probe feature in LabVIEW 2013 FPGA improves the simulation experience by giving you the ability to view signals in relation to each other with history, all within a single waveform graph. Finally, you can validate your LabVIEW FPGA IP by creating a test bench and comparing the results to the output of the desktop IP . The same test bench can interface with IP when executing in the simulator, and when executing in hardware. With a highly integrated development environment, a large ecosystem of IP libraries, a high-fidelity simulator, and new debugging features, LabVIEW 2013 FPGA helps test developers more efficiently and effectively design test systems to address the increasing complexity of modern devices. For more information, visit ni.com/fpga. Meghan Kerry meghan.kerry@ni.com Meghan is a product marketing manager for platform software at NI.
While code reuse can save you a tremendous amount of development time, some applications require very specific IP that may not be available elsewhere. When you must design your own IP , it is imperative that you catch as many implementation errors as possible before compilation. The latest version of LabVIEW FPGA is fully equipped with built-in
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Feature
find a potential bridge candidate for testing. In 1990, a team at the University of Nevada, Reno, decided to move a bridge into the laboratory and outfit it with two 50-ton payload capacity shake tables. Team members began with simple bridge columns but their needs quickly escalated, which meant the few instruments and closed-software DAQ system they were using wasnt going to cut it. The team turned to NI hardware and LabVIEW, which made it possible to rapidly prototype ideas and take advantage of an unlimited scope of instrumentation and conditioning. Today, the team has four shake tables, numerous NI systems, and a second laboratory under construction. Hundreds of bridge columns, dozens of bridges, thousands of tests, and numerous gigabytes of data later, the team tested the largest curved bridge ever with six fully loaded trucks resting on top. The shake table system accurately produced the earthquake records required, and the CompactRIO system successfully monitored the hydraulic system, ensuring any potential problems would be immediately recognized. Systems like this go a long way toward preserving current urban infrastructureand increasing safetyto withstand natural elements such as earthquakes.
building stress induced by large numbers of people using the facility for events such as soccer games and pop concerts. During these events, significant vibratory events occur with the jumping and movement of thousands of people in sync with the rhythm of the music or their favorite team scoring a goal. If the rhythm of the movement matches a natural frequency of the structure, the vibration amplitude gets significantly larger, making it is necessary to measure this phenomena and keep it under control before the vibrations reach hazardous levels. Milan municipality workers collaborated with the Politecnico di Milano to conduct a detailed study of the Meazza stadium. This led to the design of an innovative monitoring system that uses a sensor network with distributed acquisition and data storage based on the CompactRIO platform. The system can measure vibration within a tenth of a point, evaluate corrosion on metallic parts, and monitor other physical parameters. The system is also durable enough to withstand the stadium environment and its high-mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic stresses. Applications like these remind us that todays engineers and scientists are essential to solving any engineering grand challenges such as preserving urban infrastructure. What are you working on that may help solve todays big
problems? Tell us about it at n ewsletter@ni.com. This article is the 3rd installment in a four-part series on the Engineering Grand Challenges to be featured quarterly in Instrumentation Newsletter. Amee Christian amee.christian@ni.com Amee Christian is a marketing communications manager for corporate programs at NI.
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Tech Outlook
An expo center with 20 exhibitors including NI Alliance Partners Circuit Check, Averna, and Cal-Bay Systems Access to real-world projects from NI Alliance Partners in the NIDays solution center Time to connect with industry experts including NI leadership, and members of the NI R&D team NIDays attendees include engineers, scientists, researchers,
professors, system integrators, and third-party developers. Both NI engineers and regional technical experts attend each event to present sessions, answer questions, and share information on their current projects. The NIWeek experience
Members of the NI leadership team and engineering community take NIWeek on the road during the NIDays keynote presentations. NI collaborated with Xilinx on the latest evolution of CompactRIOthe NI cRIO-9068 controller.
Starting in January 2014, were making a shift. The articles weve been sending four times a year for 26 years are going online. You can think of this printed Instrumentation Newsletter like a traditional, vendor-defined box instrumentwe all hold a certain nostalgia in our hearts for those tactile knobs and buttons, but theyre just no match for the speed and versatility of a virtual instrument. Visit us online to customize the way you receive news and stories from NI. By subscribing to NI News Global, youll be sure to receive all the content youve come to expect from Instrumentation Newsletter but in a faster, smaller, more flexible form factor.
To sign up to receive NI News Global, visit n i.com/newsletter.
doesnt have to end. NI delivers the largest technology and innovation conference directly to you with NIDays. Register for an NIDays event near you at ni.com/nidays. One of the key elements in the latest CompactRIO softwaredesigned controller is the award-winning Xilinx Zynq-7000 All Programmable system on a chip (SoC). The Zynq SOC platform adds another level of intelligence to todays embedded systems. Xilinx defines the device as All Programmable, meaning you can add intelligence to your systems by programming the Zynq SoCs dual ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processing system and its FPGA fabric through C/C++ and SystemC software. This approach makes it possible to drastically speed up your system by programming additional data processing and functionality into the devices logic fabric while taking full advantage of its high-speed I/O. The Zynq SoC is a useful device for all innovators from scientists and inventors to commercial system developers, as it allows users to reprogram the devices software, hardware, and I/O at any timeeven after they have deployed their systems in the field. This makes it possible for companies to enhance and expand the life of their system, while decreasing costs, increasing system performance, and lowering overall system poweroffering systems of much greater value to their customers. Whats more, the Zynq SoC is backed by Xilinxs Vivado Design Suite and the industrys most robust ecosystem of ARM AXI-4 based IP , OpenCV libraries, broad support for the most popular IDEs, OSs and RTOSs. The numerous system design benefits plus the latest
The NIDays expo includes live demos of the latest products, systems, and technologies.
If you have ever attended NIWeek in person or followed along virtually, then you know how exciting it is to hear about the latest technological innovations firsthand. National Instruments extends this excitement and the NIWeek experience globally through an event series called NIDays. As you plan your day, you can choose sessions from different technical tracks that are customized for each region, including automated test, embedded control and monitoring, measurements, and NI LabVIEW software. NIDays also includes hands-on workshops using NI hardware and software to help you get familiar with the LabVIEW development environment.
technology made it an easy decision for NI to collaborate with Xilinx on the latest evolution of CompactRIO. To learn more about NIs collaboration with Xilinx, visit n i.com/xilinx.
Keynote presentations highlighting the latest innovations and technology More than 50 technical sessions for novices to experts
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