ni.com

Cover Title Cover Title:Cover Title

page 3

InstrumentationNewsletter

6 New NI PXI Semiconductor Suite Expands Measurement Capabilities for Chip Test

8 The Robot Revolution: LabVIEW Addresses the Needs of an Emerging Market

10 Virtualization Provides a More Efficient Use of Multicore Hardware

11 NI Expands HIL Test Platform with New Embedded Network Interfaces and Fault Insertion

12 Learn Best Practices for Building Automated Test Systems

14 LabVIEW and PXI Control the World’s Most Powerful Laser

15 Did You Know LabVIEW Could Edit VIs through Voice Commands?

16 Special Focus: Choosing the Right Technology for Your Wireless Application

24 Deploy Your .m Files to Real-Time Hardware

26 Guarding Against Hardware Obsolescence

28 NI Announces the 2009 Graphical System Design Achievement Award Winners

Building Better MeasurementSystems with Windows 7

page 3

The Worldwide Publication for Measurement and Automation l Fourth Quarter 2009

Inside NI

InstrumentationNewsletter

Instrumentation Newsletter is published quarterly by National Instruments Corporation, 11500 N Mopac Expwy, Austin, TX 78759-3504 USA.

©2009 National Instruments. All rights reserved. ActiveMath, AutoCode, BioBench, BridgeVIEW, Citadel, CompactRIO, Crashbase, CVI, DAQCard, DAQ Designer, DAQPad, DAQ-STC, DASYLab, DIAdem, DIAdem CLIP, DIAdem-INSIGHT, DocumentIt!, Electronics Workbench, FieldPoint, Flex ADC, FlexDMM, FlexFrame, FlexMotion, HiQ, HS488, IMAQ, Instrumentation Newsletter, Instrupedia, LabVIEW, LabVIEW Player, Lookout, MANTIS, MATRIXx, Measure, Measurement Ready, Measurement Studio, MITE, Multisim, MXI, NAT4882, NAT7210, NAT9914, National Instruments, National Instruments Alliance Partner, NI, NI-488, ni.com, NI CompactDAQ, NI Developer Suite, NI FlexRIO, NI-Motion, NI Motion Assistant, NI SoftMotion, NI TestStand, NI VeriStand, NIWeek, RIDE, RTSI, SCXI, Sensors Plug&Play, SignalExpress, SystemBuild, The Software is the Instrument, The Virtual Instrumentation Company, TNT4882, TNT4882C, Turbo488, Ultiboard, VAB, VirtualBench, VXIpc, and Xmath are trademarks of National Instruments. The mark LabWindows is used under a license from Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. LEGO, the LEGO logo, MINDSTORMS, and WEDO are trademarks of the LEGO Group. MATLAB® and Embedded MATLAB® are registered trademarks and Parallel Computing Toolbox is a trademark of The MathWorks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

A National Instruments Alliance Partner is a business entity independent from National Instruments and has no agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship with National Instruments.

Executive Editor John GraffEditor in Chief Andria BalmanManaging Editor Jenn Giles Associate Editors Jennifer King, Jontel MoranContributing Editors Johanna Gilmore, Tiffany Wilder

Creative Manager Joe SilvaArt Director Adam HampshireProject Manager Megan McCallIllustrators Brent Burden, Komal Deep KaurPrint Production Art Manager Laura Thompson

Production Artist Fatos ShitaPhoto Editors Nicole Kinbarovsky, Allie VerlanderImage Coordinator Kathy BrownProduction Specialist Robert BurnetteCirculation Coordinator Molly Rand

Volume 21, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2009

At National Instruments, product development is driven by a passion for innovation and new technologies. By staying on top of technology trends, we have built a platform of tools that has helped engineers and scientists worldwide create some of the most advanced applications. We are always planning for what’s ahead, and our foresight means that you can be ready for important advancements, from multicore processors to the latest Microsoft OS.

Embracing Windows 7A technology that has had a big impact on engineers and scientists is Microsoft Windows and its evolution from Windows 3 to Windows 95 to Windows NT and Windows XP. When Microsoft released Windows Vista in 2006, wide adoption did not occur as it did with previous Windows updates. However, with Windows XP starting to show its age and the economy affecting PC purchases, there appears to be a demand for improvement. Windows 7 promises increases in performance and security as well as data throughput, which may entice engineers and scientists using older OSs to make the switch. NI engineers have been testing and running Windows 7 for months prior to its recent release. As you would expect, we are proud to announce that the entire NI LabVIEW 2009 platform officially supports Windows 7. This means you can upgrade your systems with confidence, whether you are controlling a traditional instrument or looking to make use of high-performance technologies such as multicore and PCI Express.

Tools for InnovationThe LabVIEW platform takes advantage of advanced technologies including wireless, embedded processors, and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to make it easy for you to develop cutting-edge applications. As a result, LabVIEW has grown from a virtual instrumentation tool to a powerful programming environment that helps you create exciting and innovative solutions using graphical system design. Examples in this issue range from the world’s most powerful laser to robots and unmanned vehicles.

Do MoreFor more than 30 years, National Instruments has continued to deliver its promise of innovation and continuous improvement to give you the tools to be successful, whether you have a simple data acquisition application or a more complex system. Windows 7, PCI Express, robotics, multicore, and FPGAs are just some examples of our investments to help you do more.

Staying On Top of Technology Trends

– John Graff john.graff@ni.com

John Graff has been with National Instruments since 1987 and is the vice president of marketing and customer operations. He received a bachelor‘s degree in electrical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

Figure 1. Due to several improved features, the Windows 7 OS is a reliable program for measurement applications written with LabVIEW software.

3888 279 9833 n ni.com

Cover

Building Better Measurement Systems with Windows 7With the latest version of the Windows OS, Windows 7, LabVIEW users can unlock new technologies.

Instead of adding significantly new or different functionality in Windows 7, Microsoft improved many of the features introduced in Windows Vista, refined the usability of the shell, and increased the system responsiveness and performance. These changes, combined with a focus on hardware and software compatibility, make Windows 7 a strong candidate for the latest test and measurement applications. This article explains how applications written within the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment can take advantage of Windows 7 and the latest computing platforms to increase data throughput, improve performance, and take advantage of technologies such as 64-bit, USB data acquisition (DAQ), and PCI Express.

Increasing Throughput with NI USB DAQ and Windows 7Commercial vendors are already shipping computers with Windows 7. These computers offer benefits in overall performance and multiple cores as well as provide the latest bus technologies, including multiple PCI Express and Hi-Speed USB slots. Microsoft has invested significantly in USB improvements for Windows 7. These improvements, such as the elimination of unnecessary timers, selective hub suspension, and lower enumeration time for USB flash devices, increase the performance of USB test and measurement devices. In recent benchmark testing, the new NI CompactDAQ chassis achieved a 10 percent increase in

overall attainable bandwidth with Windows 7, compared to the same hardware running on Windows XP. The increased hardware performance, combined with the multicore optimization of both the Windows 7 OS and LabVIEW software, resulted in a performance increase of up to 20 percent during high-speed or multifunction I/O measurements, as shown in Figure 2.

High-Performance Measurements with PXI Express and MulticoreMicrosoft has restructured much of Windows 7 to perform more system tasks concurrently in order to benefit from increasingly common multicore processors. A key example is the Microsoft rearchitecture of the graphics device interface (GDI), which was designed to improve responsiveness when multiple

applications are running simultaneously. This rearchitecture results in fewer sequential obstacles, which can provide a more responsive user interface and better overall system performance of multithreaded measurement applications. Multithreaded software assigns independent, asynchronous processes to separate threads, which can be executed in parallel by separate computer cores. Computer processor clock rates are experiencing minimal increases; thus, the processor manufacturers are adding more cores onto a single chip. For LabVIEW programmers, it is common to create multiple computationally intensive tasks in a single application that can run in parallel; this is as simple as drawing two loops on a block diagram. LabVIEW and NI drivers, such as NI-DAQmx, are multithreaded, which helps test engineers easily create high-performance acquisition and analysis applications without manually spawning and managing separate threads. DAQ applications that are written in LabVIEW and that use NI hardware on a multicore computer benefit from the improvements in Windows 7 and are designed to further optimize the use of multicore processors. Measurements that require high throughput and fast performance are prompting engineers to use new technologies such as multicore processors and PXI Express to meet increasing demands for speed. The new NI X Series DAQ devices natively support PCI Express and PXI Express, which offer

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

LabVIEW 2009Parallel For Loop

NI TestStand 4.2Parallel Sequences

Normalized Execution Time (Shorter Is Better)

10% Improvement

8% Improvement

Windows XPWindows 7

Figure 3. With Windows 7, the performance of a LabVIEW application with four parallel loops on a quad core machine experienced as much as a 10 percent performance increase compared to Windows XP.

0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

1 Output Stream

1 Input Stream

Normalized Data Throughput (More Is Better)

7% Improvement

14% Improvement

3 Signal Streams20% Improvement

5% Improvement5 Signal Streams

Windows XPWindows 7

Figure 2. Benchmarks performed with NI CompactDAQ revealed as much as a 20 percent increase in data throughput on Windows 7.

4 Q4 2009

dedicated bidirectional bandwidth of up to 250 MB/s. NI also offers many additional PXI Express modular instruments for high-precision, high-frequency measurements. Engineers can use these technologies with Windows 7, which works with the latest buses and improves support for multicore processing to remove restrictions and improve the data throughput of their measurement applications.

Understanding the Difference Between 32-Bit and 64-Bit Versions of Windows 7Windows 7 is the third Microsoft OS to support 64-bit processors. Although 32-bit versions of Windows continue to be the most popular and offer the most native compatibility with applications, 64-bit hardware and software are available. When upgrading to Windows 7, it is important to be aware of the potential benefits and considerations of 64-bit versus 32-bit in order to select the appropriate platform. The new 64-bit version of LabVIEW 2009, which is available for download from ni.com, is the first version of LabVIEW to offer native compatibility with 64-bit OSs (Windows Vista and Windows 7 only). Measurement applications that run natively on 64-bit hardware and software can take advantage of a larger amount of physical memory than 32-bit systems, which is beneficial for applications that are processing large amounts of contiguous data. Access to additional memory can easily increase system performance by eliminating the need to swap processes in and out of page files on hard drives, which are much slower than physical memory and cache. Along with increasing physical memory, additional registers on a 64-bit processor can increase execution speed of applications by as much as 20 percent, depending on how the code is written. However, only LabVIEW 2009 core software, the NI Vision Development Module, and most NI drivers offer native support for a 64-bit version of Windows. Non-native

support for 32-bit versions of applications is made possible by an emulation known as Windows on Windows (WoW); however, this does adversely impact execution speed and performance. Test and measurement applications created to analyze large data sets, which are synonymous with high-channel-count systems and fast sampling rates, may benefit from the switch to a 64-bit version of Windows 7. However, a majority of LabVIEW applications does not inherently benefit from switching to 64-bit versions.

5888 279 9833 n ni.comThe mark LabWindows is used under a license from Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

The Microsoft OS Support Life Cycle The introduction of Windows 7 is especially relevant given that Microsoft officially discontinued sales of Windows XP in June 2008. Released more than nine years ago, Windows XP continues to be the most popular OS on the market. A recent survey of National Instruments customers indicates that more than 80 percent of their test and measurement applications are still running on Windows XP, while less than 10 percent have adopted Windows Vista. Now that Windows 7 is available, customers have the opportunity to upgrade older PC measurement hardware to take advantage of the latest multicore processors and bus technologies including PCI Express, which provides higher throughput and increases overall system performance.

Ensuring Hardware and Software CompatibilityMicrosoft has clearly indicated that Windows Vista device drivers work correctly on Windows 7 and that the company is not introducing any new compatibility requirements to the driver model. This policy is designed to avoid the same incompatibility problems users experienced when Windows Vista first debuted. (Many common devices did not work or would not install.) In addition to the compatibility mode option, which helps applications “think” they are running in an older version of Windows, Microsoft is turning to new virtualization technologies in the Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate versions to eliminate the risk that software cannot run on Windows 7. With a new Windows 7 mode, known as Windows XP Mode, users can emulate the popular Windows XP OS. This may present LabVIEW programmers with the easiest possible mechanism for running older applications, which could help ensure compatibility of legacy applications.

NI Product CompatibilityWith early access to Windows 7, National Instruments has already ensured that the majority of NI application software, including LabVIEW 2009, LabVIEW SignalExpress 2009, and DIAdem 11.1 SP1 – as well as the November version of the NI Device Drivers DVD – already supports Windows 7. Additionally, NI is committed to releasing Windows 7 support for NI LabWindows™/CVI, Measurement Studio, and NI TestStand before the end of 2009. Customers interested in transitioning their measurement and automation systems to Windows 7 in order to take advantage of the new productivity and performance benefits can upgrade today.

– Elijah Kerry elijah.kerry@ni.com

Elijah Kerry is a product manager for LabVIEW at National Instruments, focusing on large, mission-critical development applications and software engineering practices. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

To learn more about official Windows 7 support policies, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9401.

Two new chassis enhance the simple, complete NI CompactDAQ data acquisition system by adding a new four-slot option; parallel timing engines for running modules at different rates; external trigger lines; and four new built-in, general-purpose counters. The chassis redesign incorporates user requests and NI-STC3 technology to make programming NI CompactDAQ within LabVIEW software easier and more intuitive. Combine NI CompactDAQ with any of the nearly 50 supported NI C Series modules to create mixed-sensor test systems for applications including appliance test, in-vehicle data logging, small engine test, and production verification test fixtures.

To learn more and purchase the new NI CompactDAQ chassis, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9402.

Higher-Performance, Lower-Cost Options with New NI CompactDAQ Chassis

6 Q4 2009

Feature

New NI PXI Semiconductor Suite Expands Measurement Capabilities for Chip TestFor more than a decade, the PXI platform has grown to include some of the highest-performance instrumentation in the industry.

The addition of source measure units (SMUs) and advanced high-speed digital I/O has driven PXI into new application areas including semiconductor chip test. The PXI modular form factor and compact size, combined with NI LabVIEW software, provide a flexible test platform that is well suited to address and meet the challenges faced by semiconductor design and test engineers. Today, companies including ON Semiconductor and Analog Devices turn to PXI and LabVIEW as a complete solution for increasing quality and lowering the cost of test in characterization and production. National Instruments provides more than 300 PXI products alone, with more than 1,500 available from approximately 70 vendors. NI continues to invest in PXI to bring new capabilities to its platforms and better address the needs of its semiconductor customers. The new NI PXI Semiconductor Suite consists of 10 new products that expand the capabilities of PXI and LabVIEW for software-defined chip test systems. The suite provides digital instrumentation up to 200 MHz, DC parametric measurements down to 10 pA, faster RF tuning times, a

high-speed digital signal insertion switch, and the ability to import Waveform Generation Language (WGL) and Standard Test Interface Language (STIL) vector formats directly into PXI. These instruments double the single-ended clock rates and increase current sensitivity by two orders of magnitude compared to current NI instrumentation. The 10 new products in the PXI Semiconductor Suite are designed to tightly integrate with each other and offer new features including a sequencing engine on the SMU and enhanced timing control for digital I/O, which make them well suited for semiconductor chip test.

High-Precision DC Instrumentation Parametric measurements are critical to semiconductor component validation or characterization and require very precise DC instrumentation to accurately measure standby or leakage currents on a device. The PXI Semiconductor Suite meets these requirements with the addition of a new SMU. The NI PXI-4132 high-precision SMU features current resolution down

to 10 pA with remote four-wire sensing as well as external guarding on a single output, providing ±100 V capability in a single PXI slot. The SMU offers several advancements, including an onboard hardware sequencing engine for hardware-timed high-speed curve traces and the ability to trigger and synchronize multiple PXI-4132 SMUs over the PXI backplane. The PXI-4132 complements the existing NI PXI-4130 Power SMU, which provides a four-quadrant, 40 W output (±20 V, ±2 A) to deliver high-precision and high-power source measure options for PXI.

Advanced High-Speed Digital CapabilitiesDigital instrumentation is another vital component of any semiconductor test system to help characterize digital interfaces both functionally and parametrically as well as control chip operation via common communication protocols including SPI and I2C. The new suite adds several new products with advanced high-speed digital capabilities.

Figure 1. The NI PXI Semiconductor Suite consists of new DC, digital, RF, and switching instrumentation, as well as file importing software.

7888 279 9833 n ni.com

The NI PXIe-6544 and NI PXIe-6545 modules add 100 and 200 MHz digital I/O to PXI Express, respectively, with up to 32 channels from 1.2 to 3.3 V, and feature a precision onboard clock with subhertz resolution. The NI PXIe-6547 and NI PXIe-6548 modules deliver additional functionality by offering bidirectional communication on a per-channel, per-cycle basis; real-time bit comparison of acquired data versus expected response; double data rate (DDR) capability up to 400 Mbits/s; and three banks of data delay, so engineers can skew multiple digital I/O lines on a single instrument with respect to each other to stress timing on a chip. The PXI Semiconductor Suite also contains the first NI high-speed digital signal insertion switch, so engineers can multiplex in-precision DC instrumentation, such as the new PXI-4132 SMU, a digital multimeter (DMM), or power supply, on up to 32 digital I/O lines. An NI PXI/PXIe-2515 switch functions as a pass-through for the new PXI Express digital I/O modules or the existing NI 654x or NI 655x digital instruments to provide per-pin current measurements with clean connectivity to any digital pin. Many applications in semiconductor test also require the ability to import digital simulation test vectors from common design tools. As part of the new suite, NI has been working with National Instruments Alliance Partner Test System Strategies Inc. (TSSI), a leader in electronic design automation (EDA) pattern conversion, on a new software product called TSSI TD-Scan for National Instruments so engineers can import WGL and STIL vector formats into PXI. The software tool is available from TSSI and is included as a 30-day evaluation package with NI high-speed digital I/O PXI hardware.

Faster RF Measurement TimesTesting high-speed RF components can be time-consuming when considering the requirements needed to sweep through multiple frequencies to fully characterize the performance of a chip. The new NI PXIe-5663E 6.6 GHz vector signal analyzer (VSA) and NI PXIe-5673E 6.6 GHz vector signal

generator (VSG) feature fast tuning times using RF List Mode to make multiband RF measurements faster. With deterministic frequency tuning and power adjustments, these modules are uniquely suited for testing wireless and mixed-signal ICs, such as power amplifiers and transceivers.

Software-Defined Semiconductor Chip TestSoftware-defined instrumentation using LabVIEW gives semiconductor test engineers an advantage in quickly customizing measurements and building high-performance automated test systems. PXI modular hardware helps engineers incorporate the latest PC technologies such as multicore and PCI Express to further reduce test times. The addition of the PXI Semiconductor Suite expands the capabilities of PXI and LabVIEW to develop a stronger platform for testing many semiconductor components including analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), power management ICs (PMICs), wireless ICs (RFICs), and microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices.

– Scott Savage scott.savage@ni.com

Scott Savage is the market development manager for semiconductor test at National Instruments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Texas A&M University.

To learn more about the products and applications for the NI PXI Semiconductor Suite, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9403.

National Instruments offers semiconductor test solutions for a variety of chip types including ADCs/DACs, PMICs, RFICs, and MEMS devices. Download example code from NI systems engineers and view case studies from Analog Devices, ON Semiconductor, and other leading semiconductor companies to learn how they have reduced their cost of test with NI LabVIEW software and PXI instrumentation.

To browse these resources, visit ni.com/semiconductor.

Find Tutorials, Example Code, Case Studies, and More Online

Products Features Advancements

NI PXI-4132 ±100 V, down to 10 pA resolution SMU High-speed sequencing and triggering

NI PXIe-6544/45 100/200 MHz; 1.2 to 3.3 V, up to 32 digital I/O Subhertz resolution onboard clock

NI PXIe-6547/48 100/200 MHz; 1.2 to 3.3 V, up to 32 digital I/O

Bidirectional, hardware comparison, DDR, banked data delay, 22 logic levels

NI PXI/PXIe-2515 High-speed digital signal insertion switches Ability to multiplex in-precision DC instrumentationNI PXIe-5663E 6.6 GHz VSA RF List Mode NI PXIe-5673E 6.6 GHz VSG RF List ModeTSSI TD-Scan for NationaI Instruments

Software for importing WGL/STIL vectors

Supports NI 654x, NI 655x, and NI 656x digital I/O devices

Table 1. The 10 new products expand measurement capability and add features to existing NI PXI instrumentation.

8 Q4 2009

Feature

The Robot Revolution: LabVIEW Addresses the Needs of an Emerging MarketRobots are steadily becoming a part of everyday life.

They are vacuuming living room floors, assembling hybrid cars, and autonomously performing military reconnaissance missions. They serve the government, defense, medical, agricultural, mining, space, and many other industries by performing the tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous to humans. Despite these recent feats, industry experts suggest that the surge in innovation is just beginning and the robotics industry will be one of the fastest-growing enterprises within the next decade. In his Scientific American article, “A Robot in Every Home,” Bill Gates states that the robotics industry is developing in much the same way that the computer

business did 30 years ago. With disruptive technologies such as multicore processing and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), robot builders have access to computer processing that is smaller, faster, and cheaper. They can also choose from the expanding variety of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors – from inexpensive infrared microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors to highly complex laser rangefinders, or LIDARs, that produce intricate 3D models of a surrounding environment. So why has the robotics industry not yet reached its tipping point? “The hardware capability is mostly there; now the issue is getting the software right,” Gates states in his article.

Figure 1. Building a robot requires knowledge in multiple disciplines. Finding a software platform that caters to all of these disciplines is key.

Interfacing and powering all onboard sensors and actuators require electrical engineering and driver development

Mobile platform design, drive-train control, and kinematics require mechanical engineering and controls theory

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for autonomous control and embedded processing require computer science knowledge

9888 279 9833 n ni.com

The robotics industry needs a software development platform that is what Microsoft BASIC was to the PC industry. Dr. Dave Barrett, professor at Olin College and former vice president of engineering at iRobot Corporation, explains why: “When building a new robot, one must typically start from scratch. With no software standard, there is very little opportunity for code reuse or sharing. On top of that, to build sophisticated mobile robots, one must have, at minimum, working knowledge of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and controls theory.” A challenge for many roboticists is finding a modular, reusable software development platform that caters to all of these disciplines. Barrett says robotics experts have sent out a distress call. “We need an industrial-grade, hardened, richly supported software development system to build autonomous, mobile robots that can sense, think, and act in the world around them. I have spent 15 years trying to come up with the best robotics programming language, and LabVIEW has accomplished that.”

Roboticists Do More with LabVIEWMany robot designers, such as Barrett, have found an answer to their distress call in LabVIEW; the built-in fundamental capabilities make it an ideal programming platform for robotics. For example, when servicing the space exploration industry with robotic solutions, Alliance Spacesystems must first quickly prototype and test concepts to demonstrate their feasibility to clients such as NASA. Alliance Spacesystems has found a strategic advantage through the NI graphical system design platform and has used LabVIEW for rapid robotic development for more than 10 years. “What could take years to prototype takes months with LabVIEW,” says Sean Dougherty, mechatronics technical advisor. “NI offers the combination of intuitive, simple-to-use graphical system design tools that still provide the power and flexibility to do the things we need to do with a complex embedded system.” Dr. Thomas Bewley, professor of the Coordinated Robotics Lab at the University of California, San Diego, has used LabVIEW to create novel robotics designs such as Switchblade, a small, treaded mobile robot that manipulates a large mass at its end to hoist itself upright and balance on a point. Switchblade can perform unique maneuvers, such as climbing stairs, during search and rescue missions. It was completely designed and verified in less than a month using the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module. When it came time to create a physical prototype, the seamless integration between LabVIEW and embedded processing targets, such as NI Single-Board RIO, gave Bewley the ability to port his closed-loop feedback control code to his embedded hardware in minutes. The onboard 400 MHz PowerPC processor combined with a 2 M gate FPGA left plenty of processor power for video processing and other tasks required for search and rescue missions. Engineers at TORC Technologies have used LabVIEW to gain a running start when creating the world’s fastest unmanned vehicle, which clocks

speeds at 102 mph. Michael Fleming, TORC Technologies CEO, says, “We see cutting-edge robotic organizations spending too many resources reinventing sensor communication, motor drives, and power details rather than focusing on the higher-level perception, planning, and control issues.” The NI network of hundreds of sensor, actuator, and instrument drivers eliminated the need for TORC Technologies to create homegrown strategies for a drive-by-wire autonomous solution for a Ford Escape Hybrid vehicle. Additionally, because LabVIEW is an open design platform that can run .m file scripts on real-time targets and port ANSI C code to FPGAs using the open C interface, TORC Technologies created a heterogeneous, distributed processing solution that used an NI CompactRIO system to manage sensor fusion and the drive-by-wire control and two quad-core servers running Linux and Windows OSs to perform the perception, planning, and acting algorithms.

The tipping point of the robotics industry will happen when roboticists have found their software programming solution. Barrett, Dougherty, Bewley, and Fleming are examples of the mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, controls experts, and computer scientists who have become well-rounded roboticists that can quickly prototype and build sophisticated robot designs by using LabVIEW.

– Emilie Kopp emilie.kopp@ni.com

Emilie Kopp is a robotics marketing engineer at National Instruments. She holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering science from Trinity University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rice University.

To get a preview of new LabVIEW software that can aid roboticists, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9404.

Figure 2. Switchblade is a mobile robot based on NI Single-Board RIO that can climb stairs with ease and balance itself on a point.

10 Q4 2009

Product In-Depth

Virtualization Provides a More Efficient Use of Multicore HardwareThe new NI Real-Time Hypervisor software package uses virtualization technology to run Windows XP and NI LabVIEW Real-Time simultaneously on the same controller. After ordering a multicore PXI or industrial controller system with the hypervisor installed, you can develop powerful, multi-OS applications while reducing cost and physical footprint.

Quickly Configure I/O and Memory PartitioningIn real-time systems, reliable performance is important, which is why the Real-Time Hypervisor partitions resources, including RAM and I/O modules, between LabVIEW Real-Time and Windows. The NI Real-Time Hypervisor Manager, a built-in utility, helps you quickly reconfigure these OS assignments at any time. In addition, an advanced view in the utility helps you identify and resolve any configuration issues.

Easily Communicate between OSsIn applications that feature multiple OSs, sharing data can pose a challenge. With the Real-Time Hypervisor, transferring data between OSs is as straightforward as using a typical network connection. You can access a built-in virtual Ethernet port from both LabVIEW Real-Time and Windows XP and reconfigure the port in the same way as a physical network interface from either Windows or NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX). A virtual serial port on Real-Time Hypervisor systems also provides convenient access to LabVIEW Real-Time status and debugging information from Windows.

Program without Changing Your CodeAfter configuring a PXI or industrial controller system with the Real-Time Hypervisor installed, you can program real-time applications in LabVIEW and deploy them exactly as you would with a typical NI real-time system and remote host. You can access the real-time portion of a hypervisor system through MAX for straightforward software installation and configuration. In addition, LabVIEW applications running on either the Windows or LabVIEW Real-Time side of a hypervisor system can make use of standard NI device drivers, giving you access to the entire platform of National Instruments I/O hardware.

Figure 2. You can order the Real-Time Hypervisor software preinstalled on multicore PXI or industrial controller systems.

Make Efficient Use of Multicore HardwareTo take full advantage of multicore PXI and industrial controller hardware, Real-Time Hypervisor software assigns groups of processor cores to individual OSs. On dual-core systems, one core is assigned to LabVIEW Real-Time while the other core is assigned to Windows XP. Quad-core systems assign three cores to LabVIEW Real-Time, ensuring ample processing power for the most demanding measurement and control applications and making efficient use of multicore hardware.

To view more architecture and performance details on the Real-Time Hypervisor, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9405.

Multicore Controller

CPUsRAMI/0

Windows XP

NI Real-Time Hypervisor Software

LabVIEW Real-Time

Figure 1. With new Real-Time Hypervisor software, you can run LabVIEW Real-Time and Windows XP simultaneously on a single controller.

11888 279 9833 n ni.com

NI Expands HIL Test Platform with New Embedded Network Interfaces and Fault InsertionEngineers are adding embedded control systems to medical devices, industrial machines, power generation systems, automobiles, and other applications to optimize efficiency, improve performance, and meet regulatory requirements. Because engineers design many parts of these systems in parallel and do not have access to prototypes or encounter dangerous test scenarios, system-wide component validation testing becomes difficult or impossible. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing helps address these challenges by simulating incomplete parts of a system so engineers can test embedded control systems as if they were part of a complete system. HIL testing requires high-performance I/O to achieve the detail and accuracy often necessary for these simulations. Since the recent release of NI VeriStand real-time testing and simulation software, National Instruments has released additional products to expand the range of I/O, simplify development, and increase performance of HIL test systems built on its platform.

Figure 1. The complete HIL simulation system consists of new products for HIL applications including NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay interfaces, NI fault insertion

switch units, and NI VeriStand real-time testing software.

New Interface Families Increase PerformanceOne trend in embedded systems is the increasing number and complexity of embedded devices networked together in a system. Low-cost embedded networks, such as controller area networks (CANs), are commonly linked to several dozen automotive embedded control units to share control data. FlexRay, an emerging networking standard in the automotive industry, is rapidly gaining adoption alongside CAN due to its higher data rates and reliability. Both standards present new challenges to the HIL test engineer. The new NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay family consists of 14 PCI and PXI interfaces for testing, simulating, and validating embedded devices that

use CAN and FlexRay. Optimized for high-performance applications such as HIL testing, these interfaces are ideal for simulating missing nodes on an embedded network. With extremely low latency and onboard coprocessing of bus data, HIL systems can use NI-XNET interfaces to more accurately simulate one or more embedded controllers on a network. NI-XNET interfaces use the same API for CAN and FlexRay, and this aspect simplifies the process of working with multiple networks of complex embedded systems typically found in automotive, aerospace, and other industries. Effective HIL test systems simulate missing pieces of a network as well as software and hardware fault conditions. A new NI PXI fault insertion family can apply physical hardware faults to the unit under test (UUT) such as a ground fault or channel-to-channel short to test the behavior of the UUT under these conditions. These devices, based on NI-SWITCH driver software, offer application-specific switch topologies capable of handling the high-power signals in embedded control systems. In addition to these new product families, NI recently released many other products useful for HIL testing applications including AFDX, ARINC 429, and MIL-STD-1553 aerospace bus interfaces; NI VeriStand real-time testing software; and NI TestStand 4.2 with improved support for Python scripting.

Figure 2. The new NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay high-performance interface family is optimized for interfacing PC-based test systems with

embedded networks in demanding applications such as HIL test.

To learn why engineers choose NI products to implement critical HIL test applications, visit ni.com/hil.

Product In-Depth

12 Q4 2009

Test Techniques

Learn Best Practices for Building Automated Test SystemsDeveloping both durable and flexible test systems to address the needs of today’s complex devices is critical.

National Instruments has collaborated with industry experts to create Designing Automated Test Systems, a five-step guide that features best practices for identifying your measurement needs, selecting hardware and software, and assembling and deploying your software-defined automated test systems. An overview of the five steps and a sample section are featured in this article.

Step 1 – Identifying Measurement Needs Many test engineers choose their hardware based on instrument type rather than measurement need. You do not always need a digital multimeter (DMM) to make precision measurements, and you do not always have to use expensive tools to calibrate your devices. Step 1 of this guide describes best practices for identifying the measurement requirements of your automated test system so you can make cost-effective decisions when selecting your instruments.

Step 2 – Selecting Hardware The next section of the guide provides specific suggestions as well as practical implementations for choosing your automated test system rack; selecting power distribution units; and designing switching frameworks, mass-interconnect solutions, and custom fixtures. One example in the guide highlights the importance of choosing a rack size based on the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) standard because most instruments are built according to this standard. Another best practice discusses the value of keeping enough spacing between instruments in your rack for ventilation.

Step 3 – Designing Software The following step teaches techniques for building a scalable and reusable software framework and best practices in code module development. For instance, the guide discusses the importance of making your code “localization friendly” by using pictures to avoid language barriers and using words that translate easily. Additional topics covered include choosing a test executive, documenting code, and selecting an instrument driver paradigm.

Step 4 – Assembling the Test System This section of the guide discusses considerations for assembling your automated test system. It provides suggestions on cable types and lengths to minimize measurement errors. For example, the guide recommends using copper conductors with silver plating for low-voltage measurements due

to their low thermal characteristics. It also recommends using sleeving and/or wire ties to protect cable assemblies, hoses, and wire harnesses from chafing, cutting, and abrading. In addition to cabling considerations, Step 4 of the guide describes system grounding considerations, software activation and licensing, and test system validation techniques.

Switching Mass Interconnect Fixturing

Figure 1. This diagram in Step 2 of the guide illustrates a switching, mass-interconnect, and fixturing solution in an example automated test system.

Labels

Wire Ties

Sleeves

Strain Relief

Figure 2. Sleeves, wire ties, and strain relief are important for protecting cables in test systems.

13888 279 9833 n ni.com

Step 5 – Deploying the Test SystemThe last step in the guide helps you deploy your software-defined automated test system and discusses various considerations for replicating your systems. Topics include creating a “deployment image” of your file directory structure and equipping facilities with requirements to run the test system.

A Practical Guide for Building Software-Defined Automated Test SystemsThis five-step guide goes beyond theory and places a strong emphasis on presenting best practices in a practical and reusable manner. It features specific examples used by industry-leading test engineering teams to show how you can put theoretical concepts into action to save cost and time. In particular, the guide makes several references to the system that NI engineers built to test more than 50 I/O modules for the NI CompactRIO platform. The following excerpt from Step 1 in the guide discusses how choosing hardware based on measurement need rather than instrument type can help reduce cost:

Best Practice: Test engineers often choose an instrument based on type rather than need. Such decisions often result in higher costs, so you should choose your instrument based on your measurement need rather than the instrument type.

Real-World Example: Following this practice was highly beneficial when NI engineers selected a method to calibrate the NI 9219 thermocouple module in the test system described in this guide. Typical calibration methods involve using expensive instruments that cost upwards of $50,000 USD. In this particular test system, however, the NI 9219 is calibrated using a Keithley source measure unit (SMU) and the NI PXI-4071 7½-digit PXI DMM.

+- +-NI PXI-4071 RKeithley SMU

NI 9219±125 mA to 60 VDC

Voltage Input Module

Figure 3. This image shows the circuit for calibrating the NI 9219 voltage input module.

This is possible because the PXI-4071 DMM has an accuracy that is substantially higher than that of the NI 9219. In addition, because the PXI-4071 was already required for testing other CompactRIO modules, using it for calibrating the NI 9219 helped to substantially reduce the overall cost of the test system.

Download the Designing Automated Test Systems GuideReview this content online to develop a stronger understanding of core software-defined automated test fundamentals as well as practical knowledge for applying test engineering best practices to your applications.

– Jaideep Jhangiani jaideep.jhangiani@ni.com

Jaideep Jhangiani is an automated test product manager at National Instruments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Texas A&M University.

To download the Designing Automated Test Systems guide, visit ni.com/automatedtest.

Table 1. The accuracy of the NI PXI-4071 is much greater than that of the NI 9219.

NI 9219 NI PXI-4071 (2 yr cal values)

Gain Error(ppm)

Range Offset Error (ppm)

Gain Error(ppm)

Range Offset Error (ppm)

125 mV 3,000 120 32 260 V 1,000 20 22 0.8ppm = parts per million

Use the NI CompactRIO Waveform Reference Architecture to easily stream waveform data from a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to a real-time controller. Ready-to-run FPGA code solves timing and data reliability issues with FPGA data acquisition. Develop real-time data acquisition applications with easy-to-use functional blocks and wire the data to any NI LabVIEW analysis VI.

To learn more about the CompactRIO Waveform Reference Architecture, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9406.

New Waveform Reference Architectures

14 Q4 2009

NI in Academia

LabVIEW and PXI Control the World’s Most Powerful LaserThe Texas Petawatt Project is an ongoing venture of the High Intensity Laser Science Group at The University of Texas at Austin. The Texas Petawatt Project has proved to be the most powerful, fully operational laser in the world, with its final power output documented to reach 1.1 PW (one quadrillion watts). What differentiates this laser from other similar lasers under development is that it delivers substantially shorter pulses – as short as 130 femtoseconds – which allows for many unique high-energy density physics experiments with principles such as particle fusion for alternative energy research and other applications of controlled and extremely compacted energy. In addition to effectively studying the possibilities for future fuel sources, we can create the conditions of supernovas, including the plasma associated with various astrophysical phenomena, on a small scale. NI LabVIEW software and PXI instrumentation manage all aspects of laser operations and verify human and machine safety before firing. The core of the control system is a

CPU running LabVIEW and is connected to a data-logging and supervisory control (DSC) engine to interface with field PCs, which use LabVIEW as the common communication software. These field PCs and various PXI controllers interface with and control all of our instruments. Because of their power, flexibility, and ease of use, we use LabVIEW, PXI controllers, the LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control Module, the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, and LabVIEW data server and Web capabilities. We can manage several hundred control points and different instruments within the laser system, including motion and vision devices,

switches, limiters, digital and analog data traces, triggers, and other equipment.

– Dr. Erhard Gaul Head Scientist, Texas Petawatt Project, The University of Texas at Austin

To learn more about NI solutions for advanced physics applications, visit ni.com/physics.

Using NI products, we successfully developed a control system that can precisely control the charging, firing, amplification, and targeting of the world’s most powerful operating laser.

(Pho

to c

ourt

esy

of T

he U

nive

rsity

of T

exas

at A

ustin

)

LabVIEW 2009 Student Edition

Robert H. Bishop

Prentice HallISBN-13: 9780132141291 (Educational)ISBN-13: 9780132141314 (Professional)

The LabVIEW 2009 Student Edition textbook incorporates many new NI LabVIEW

features, problem sets, and relaxed readings. With an updated appendix designed

for Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer (CLAD) test preparation and LabVIEW

Student Edition software included, this text continues to be one of the most popular

ways to learn LabVIEW.

To learn more and view ordering information, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9407.

Discrete-Time Signal Processing (Third Edition)

Alan V. Oppenheim Ronald W. Schafer

Prentice HallISBN-13: 9780131988422

The third edition of Discrete-Time Signal Processing includes a companion Web

site so readers can hear, see, and interact with versions of select figures from

the text. Termed “live figures,” these signal processing simulations, based on

LabVIEW software, strengthen students’ understanding of crucial concepts.

To learn more and view ordering information, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9408.

Updated Textbooks Include More Preparatory Materials

15888 279 9833 n ni.com

LabVIEW Everywhere

Did You Know LabVIEW Could Edit VIs through Voice Commands?

Imagine if you could create a control for every terminal on a subVI simply by selecting it and saying, “create all controls.” Imagine building an array of control references by selecting a group of control terminals and saying, “build array of references.” With LabVIEW Speak, now you can. NI LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, intuitive application development environment (ADE), but there are still some basic or repetitive actions that require you to navigate through a variety of menus and options involving multiple keystrokes and clicks. Over time, these common actions can slow down the process of creating code and affect your efficiency. LabVIEW Speak reduces many of these time-consuming steps into a single voice command by using the LabVIEW Scripting API and free, readily available speech recognition software. LabVIEW Speak uses its native add-on, Quick Edit, to take advantage of the LabVIEW Scripting API. Quick Edit is a plug-in framework which executes scripting VIs to programmatically edit other VIs. These plug-ins

can perform actions as simple as hiding the labels of all selected items or as complex as transforming any sequence structure into a state machine. Many common applications have integrated this concept of helping you build onto the LabVIEW environment with your own macros and scripts. National Instruments is opening up the LabVIEW software platform for

customization, and LabVIEW Speak is just one example of how users have taken advantage of this customization. More examples are available on the LabVIEW API community on ni.com. If you regularly program with LabVIEW software, start to pay attention to how often you repeat some basic tasks that could be streamlined by a little scripting automation. Familiarity with the VI Server interface is all you need to get started creating your own scripting code. Due to the contributions from the user community, ready-to-use tools are available for those with no knowledge of scripting. Scripting VIs and controlling LabVIEW with your voice is more than a novel idea. It is a quantum leap forward in how you develop your code and a huge performance booster. So, wipe the dust off of your microphone or headset and get ready to take your development process to the next level.

To learn more about LabVIEW Speak, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9409.

This code is used to create control terminals for all inputs on all selected subVI.

Available Verbal Commandsn Align Left/Right/Top/Bottomn Label Visible/Invisiblen Smashy Smashy

n Create Control/Indicator/Constant/Referencen Create All Indicators/Controls/Terminalsn Insert Bundle/Unbundle

n Text Bold/Plain/Italicn Justify Left/Center/Rightn Show Project

NI Labs showcases the cutting-edge NI R&D technologies that are not quite ready for release. Visit this virtual research lab to download and discuss new developments, such as NI LabVIEW Scripting and the LabVIEW Mobile Robots Interface.

To download and discuss the latest technologies, visit ni.com/labs.

Explore Cutting-Edge Tools from NI Labs

16 Q4 2009

Special Focus

Choosing the Right Technology for Your Wireless ApplicationNI offers two wireless measurement platforms that increase flexibility and

reduce costs for many new applications: Wi-Fi data acquisition (DAQ)

and wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Understanding the different

technology capabilities is important when designing wireless applications.

RANGEIn many wireless applications, a physical obstruction, such as rotating machinery or even an office wall,

prohibits the use of a cable to transmit data. With a range of up to 100 m, NI Wi-Fi DAQ devices can be an

ideal solution in this scenario. However, in other applications, a significant physical distance may be the

obstacle. NI WSN devices are capable of individually transmitting measurements up to 300 m. This range

can be extended by up to 900 m by creating an interconnected mesh network of devices.

Wi-FiNI Wi-Fi DAQ devices are similar to USB DAQ devices – streaming continuous waveform data to a host PC, but without the cable. WSN

NI WSN devices deliver reliable, battery-powered operation and are intended for long-term deployment in remote applications.

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSNUp to 300 m

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

30 to 100 m

17888 279 9833 n ni.com

THROUGHPUTThe sampling rate and channel count of a system determine overall data throughput. NI Wi-Fi DAQ

devices can stream waveform measurements, such as acceleration, at up to 250 kS/s. However, total

IEEE 802.11g bandwidth (54 Mbits/s) limits the channel count at this rate. NI WSN devices can sample

up to 60 S/min (1 S/s), with faster rates achievable using the LabVIEW WSN Module Pioneer. At these

rates, IEEE 802.15.4 bandwidth (250 kbits/s) is not a limiting factor for even large channel counts.

BATTERY POWERPower availability is another consideration when choosing a wireless technology. For two- to three-year

battery deployments, IEEE 802.15.4-based NI WSN devices are ideal. The NI WSN gateway requires

external power; however, end nodes can function for several years on standard AA batteries. By contrast,

NI Wi-Fi DAQ devices typically require external DC power, though battery operation for one to two days

is possible. Alternative power sources (such as solar power) may be appropriate for certain applications.

SECURITYBecause wireless signals cannot be secured through physical means alone, powerful security measures

may be necessary for sensitive applications. NI Wi-Fi DAQ devices support the highest commercially

available wireless security, the IEEE 802.11i (WPA2 Enterprise) standard, which includes 128-bit AES

encryption and IEEE 802.1X authentication. NI WSN end node devices do not encrypt data, but NI WSN

gateways provide an access list for managing which end nodes are permitted to join a network.

CUSTOMIZATIONSome applications greatly benefit from a customized solution. With the LabVIEW WSN Module Pioneer,

you can use graphical programming to embed applications on NI WSN devices to perform custom

analysis on data, respond to stimuli without host interaction, and manage power consumption. You can

also synchronize NI Wi-Fi DAQ devices with each other using two individually programmable digital

trigger lines to export or import sample clocks, start triggers, pause triggers, and reference triggers.

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN1 S/s

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN3 years

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSNGateway Association

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSNLabVIEW WSN

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

Up to 250 kS/s

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

1 to 2 days

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

WPA2 Enterprise

WSN

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

WSN

PFI Trigger Lines

To learn more about wireless measurement devices from NI, visit ni.com/wireless.

18 Q4 2009

Product In-Depth

Top Five Productivity Tools in LabVIEW 2009

Engineers and scientists working on software projects are constantly looking for ways to become more efficient during development. To address this need, National Instruments has introduced new features in NI LabVIEW 2009 that help you increase the overall development productivity of your projects. In addition, you can easily integrate some of these features into existing LabVIEW code. Explore the following five tools within LabVIEW 2009 to help you reduce your development time:

1 Quick Drop Shortcuts – Reduce source code development time on the block diagram by taking advantage of Quick Drop shortcuts such as <Ctrl-D> to create controls and indicators for unwired inputs and outputs, or <Ctrl-Shift-D> to create constants for unwired inputs.

2 LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit – With this toolkit, you can eliminate the upkeep and data conversion associated with a database by programmatically searching metadata within test files.

3 Parallel For Loops – Use parallel for loops to automatically parallelize individual for loop iterations to take advantage of multicore systems. You can programmatically obtain low-level processor information from the CPU Information Palette.

4 Probe Watch Window – With this feature, you can display all probes in a single window with the option to show some data in a graphical representation. Displaying all of the probes from a VI and its subVIs in the same window makes debugging easier and faster.

5 VI Snippet – Drag and drop source code captured in an enhanced PNG image onto a block diagram to create working code with the VI snippet tool. Creating snippets of commonly used code reduces development time in future projects.

To learn more about these and other new features in LabVIEW 2009, visit ni.com/labview/whatsnew.

1

4

3

2

5

19888 279 9833 n ni.com

Find Data Faster – Introducing the LabVIEW DataFinder ToolkitNot all measurement applications are created equal. For basic, real-time monitoring, three fundamental steps that satisfy most needs include data acquisition, analysis, and visualization. When you need to store data for historical record or sharing, logging and report generation are useful. And for continuous or periodically repeated measurements, trending and comparisons across multiple data files can uncover useful information. While NI LabVIEW graphical programming software and NI-DAQmx driver software simplify measurement applications, it is challenging to correlate data from discrete measurements. Oftentimes, you can try using complicated databases or custom spreadsheets, but this approach usually counteracts efficiency gains and takes more time to manage the tools than to make the original measurement. Using the new LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, you can find meaningful data faster by using common technologies to search and trend multiple test files. The new toolkit consists of NI DataFinder, a self-scaling and self-maintaining database, and a LabVIEW API to create queries that quickly return information of interest. You can create custom data management applications using the toolkit for the optimal way of trending and comparing data from multiple files within LabVIEW. You can distribute applications, so other users can benefit from the data management capabilities, or scale to NI DIAdem software for a ready-to-run data management solution that also incorporates NI DataFinder.

To watch a video on how to save time with the LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9410.

With the NI LabVIEW 2009 Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers, you can use new features to more quickly develop your low-power embedded

systems. The latest version offers object-oriented programming, easier interrupt configuration, and the ability to read and write to flash file systems.

To evaluate the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9411.

NI Single-Board RIO devices are now available in extended temperature versions, featuring a real-time processor, onboard field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and analog and digital I/O on a single board with a -40 to 85 °C operating temperature range.

The new NI sbRIO-9602XT, sbRIO-9612XT, sbRIO-9632XT, and sbRIO-9642XT devices are ideal for high-volume industrial, medical, transportation, and military OEM embedded systems.

To view specifications for extended temperature NI Single-Board RIO devices, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9412.

Develop Embedded System Software Faster

New Extended Temperature NI Single-Board RIO Devices

Use the new LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit to create custom data management applications for searching and trending your test data.

Product In-Depth

20 Q4 2009

Product In-Depth

Deterministic Distributed I/O with FPGA Intelligence

New High-Performance CompactRIO Controller and Chassis

In 2008, National Instruments released the NI 9144 expansion chassis to provide deterministic distributed I/O for your NI CompactRIO and programmable automation controller (PAC) systems. This eight-slot NI C Series chassis expands real-time applications to high I/O counts while maintaining precise timing and synchronization. With the release of NI LabVIEW 2009 software, you can use the LabVIEW FPGA Module to program the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) on the NI 9144 expansion chassis, giving you an intelligent distributed device capable of custom triggering and inline processing. Adding FPGA capabilities to expansion I/O offers a new level of customization and flexibility for your application. For example, the ability to conduct embedded decision making at the node reduces response time and allows the chassis to quickly react to the environment without host interaction. The intelligent distributed I/O can also offload processing from the controller by administering onboard analysis, custom timing, and signal manipulation before sending back the results. Other new features for the NI 9144 chassis include support for all real-time controllers with two Ethernet ports in CompactRIO, PXI, and

NI industrial controller platforms. Plus, more than 40 C Series I/O modules are programmable within the CompactRIO Scan Mode, and all C Series modules are programmable within the LabVIEW FPGA Mode.

To watch a webcast on using deterministic distributed I/O with FPGA intelligence, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9413.

The new NI cRIO-9024 real-time controller and the NI cRIO-9118 reconfigurable chassis provide a significant increase in processing capability for real-time operations and more capacity for NI LabVIEW FPGA Module applications. The cRIO-9024 real-time controller is a high-performance modular controller for NI CompactRIO featuring an 800 MHz PowerPC Freescale processor, dual Ethernet ports, and Hi-Speed USB. It also runs the VxWorks

real-time OS and supports the CompactRIO Scan Mode programming interface for even faster application development. All of these features deliver a performance boost of 2.6 times single-point loop rates compared to the previous-generation NI cRIO-9014 controller, four times faster file I/O, and five times more Ethernet throughput. Additionally, the cRIO-9118 reconfigurable chassis has the largest field-programmable gate array (FPGA) available in NI hardware, the Xilinx Virtex-5 LX110 FPGA, which provides a significant increase in FPGA size and performance and can compile to run faster and hold more LabVIEW FPGA code than any other CompactRIO target. LabVIEW FPGA benchmarks show an increase of 3.6 times more capacity than the 3M gate FPGAs in CompactRIO. These new high-performance systems make CompactRIO ideal for advanced control applications such as motion and other closed-loop control systems.

To learn more about what’s new with CompactRIO, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9414.

The NI 9144 deterministic expansion chassis for NI PACs now features FPGA capabilities.

CompactRIO high-performance modular controllers and chassis are ideal for processing intensive and advanced control applications.

21888 279 9833 n ni.com

Product In-Depth

Expand Analysis with Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2009The NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2009 continues to push advanced analysis within NI LabVIEW software beyond the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. In this latest release, new features include a continuous frequency sweep algorithm and an AES-17-compliant audio

filter VI. The algorithm can perform frequency response and total harmonic distortion tests in one-tenth the amount of time it takes using traditional swept sine approaches. Additionally, the algorithm provides new signals such as the device under test (DUT) residue signal. You can analyze this new signal to characterize the response of the DUT without stimulus signal interference. AES-17-compliant audio filters provide easy-to-use software filters for testing audio signal output from Class D user interface amplifiers. The latest version also contains user interface improvements in the NI Sound and Vibration Assistant environment. The channel view provides new, easy tachometer setup and fully supports the use of eddy current probes for displacement measurements. Additionally, audio filters, sound quality algorithms, and other new analysis techniques are now available in the NI Sound and Vibration Assistant. The Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2009 includes one full year of the NI Standard Service Program (SSP), so you can upgrade throughout the year for free; future upgrades are available by renewing the SSP subscription yearly.

To download and evaluate the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite for 30 days, visit ni.com/trysv.

The NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2009 expands signal analysis past the FFT algorithm.

Now you can acquire images from USB devices including cameras, webcams, microscopes, scanners,

and many consumer-grade imaging products using NI software. The NI-IMAQdx driver now supports image acquisition from USB devices in Windows OSs as part of the NI Vision Acquisition Software driver package.

To learn about the new USB support for image acquisition, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9415.

National Instruments now provides a complete accelerometer-based measurement solution from sensor to software. The

latest NI vibration sensors include accelerometers, triaxial accelerometers, and impact hammers from PCB Piezotronics. These sensors are ideal to use in machine condition monitoring and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) systems and are guaranteed to work with NI dynamic signal acquisition products.

To find the right sensor for your application, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9416.

NI Adds USB-Based Camera Support

New Vibration Sensors Complete NI Accelerometer Solution

22 Q4 2009

Product In-Depth

New NI VideoMASTER 3.0 Digital Video Analyzer for HDMI NI VideoMASTER 3.0 and the new PXI Express digital video analyzer simplify testing of the latest HDMI-enabled multimedia devices including set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, digital cameras, and high-definition (HD) televisions. The new PXI Express digital video analyzer solution combines the NI PXIe-6545 200 MS/s high-speed digital module and the NI PXI-2172 deserializer and decryption module with NI VideoMASTER 3.0 software,

delivering an easy-to-use, configuration-based software experience when developing complete video test applications. The software also features a full suite of measurements for HDMI with HDCP-encrypted video, deep color content, and Full HD video up to 1080p/60 Hz. In addition, NI VideoMASTER 3.0 consists of a stand-alone user interface, NI LabVIEW API, and a fully integrated set of test steps for NI TestStand test management software to acquire analog or digital video, compare hundreds of results, and generate pass/fail reports within a few seconds, which simplifies development and reduces automated test costs. The suite of NI VideoMASTER solutions includes tools for analyzing and generating analog and digital video, which makes it ideal for testing set-top boxes, LCD devices, cameras, gaming consoles, DVD players, and more. When new digital video standards arise, engineers can meet those requirements using flexible, software-defined solutions architected with NI VideoMASTER and PXI.

To watch a demo using NI VideoMASTER to test Blu-ray Disc players, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9417.

The new digital video analyzer based on PXI Express simplifies HDMI video testing using configurable test steps within NI TestStand for automated video measurements.

The new NI PXI-5691 RF amplifier doubles as a power amplifier and a preamplifier. With a +20 dBm compression and low noise figure, you can use this module with both RF signal generators and signal

analyzers. When combined with the NI PXIe-5663 RF vector signal analyzer, the new amplifier is capable of measurements down to -163 dBm/Hz. You can use the new NI PXI-5695 programmable RF attenuator with RF signal generators for low-power receiver sensitivity measurements.

To obtain more information on these and other RF products, visit ni.com/rf.

Today’s RF engineers are challenged to perform fast, accurate, and repeatable tests for wireless components. These measurements

are often performed over multiple bands, and changing RF configurations between measurements can be costly to overall test time. The NI PXIe-5663E vector signal analyzer and NI PXIe-5673E vector signal generator, powered by RF List Mode, increase measurement speed with fast and deterministic changes in RF configuration, significantly reducing test time.

To learn more about the RF List Mode feature, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9418.

New RF Amplifier and AttenuatorExpand Dynamic Range New RF Instruments Add RF List Mode

23888 279 9833 n ni.com

Services and Support

New Online Service Request Manager Improves Technical Support ResponseHave you ever wanted to review details that an NI applications engineer shared during a technical support phone call? The recently updated NI support Web site now provides service program members with easy access to this information. Simply visit ni.com/support and click on the Service Request Manager icon. The Service Request Manager provides you with around-the-clock access to your service request status and details, so you can easily monitor your open issues from creation to resolution. Service request details include troubleshooting notes and e-mail correspondence from NI applications engineers. Solutions to previously opened service

requests are readily available in a consolidated view of all open, in-progress, and closed service requests. To create a new request, you have convenient access to the Ask an Engineer online utility that offers immediate access to phone and e-mail technical support. Currently, this functionality is only available for customers of Europe and the Americas. Service requests must have been created after April 1, 2009. As you use the Service Request Manager, please provide feedback through the Give Us Feedback link in the application. NI uses this feedback to create new features that make the Service Request Manager and your

service membership even more valuable. The benefits of service program membership do not end with direct technical support and access to the Service Request Manager. Staying up-to-date with your membership also entitles you to the latest software updates, maintenance releases, and exclusive access to on-demand training modules at no additional charge via the Service Resource Center at ni.com/src. A one-year Standard Service Program (SSP) membership comes free with the purchase of most NI application software, including NI Developer Suite.

To view the status of your service requests with the Service Request Manager, visit ni.com/support.

The Service Request Manager makes it easy to access the details of your service requests.

View these new training modules in the Services Resource Center:LabVIEW 2009 New Features Series (four modules)■n

Improving the Performance of Your LabVIEW Application Series ■n

(three modules)

Troubleshooting Tools for LabVIEW Real-Time Applications■n

To access on-demand training for these and other courses, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9419.

National Instruments is now accepting credit card purchases from online customers in France and Italy, offering easier access to products and simplifying the buying process. NI recognizes the widespread adoption of credit card use in these countries, and the new payment method provides a better online shopping experience. Streamline, a financial service by National Westminster Bank, guarantees the highest levels of security in online transactions and credit card payments.

New Training Modules for NI Software Service Members

Online Credit Card Purchase Option for European Customers

24 Q4 2009

Developer’s View

Deploy Your .m Files to Real-Time HardwareToday’s design engineer uses many software packages that employ mathematical languages.

Designed to provide desktop interfaces for “mathematical exploration,” these languages typically simplify the process of developing custom algorithms and intellectual property (IP) but often complicate the deployment path to embedded hardware. Consider .m file languages used within The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB®

software, Scilab, and others, which are loosely typed programming languages. They treat all data as a variation of a numeric matrix, so the concept of data types is not realized. Therefore, there is no need to explicitly cast variables between traditional data types, which can simplify the development process. This can be beneficial in desktop environments with abundant memory; however, embedded hardware and real-time OSs cannot operate under these circumstances. The instantaneous declaration of memory during an operation can introduce jitter into an application, which can violate the timing rules in a deterministic operation. Furthermore, these .m file languages are not compiled languages; they are interpreted. Without code compilation, a primary benefit of the compiler is lost (for

example, identifying syntax errors prior to any of the program running). You do not learn if line 100 of a .m file has a syntax error until the first 99 lines of the script are executed. Time is lost when the script errors out at line 100. Additionally, take into account that the language does not contain timing constructs or explicit resource management, and it becomes clear why the path to embedded hardware requires you to rewrite the developed code in a more suitable language, such as C. Code redevelopment necessitates additional time, resources, and tools. Taking a script you developed using the MATLAB language syntax and deploying it to a multicore real-time hardware target could require the path depicted in Figure 1. With the MATLAB language syntax, you first develop and test your script in the desktop environment using the Parallel Computing Toolbox™ to prepare the code for a dual-core environment. You then use Embedded MATLAB® to generate C code. This requires an additional verification step to ensure that the functionality of the two implementations is equivalent.

MATLAB® and Embedded MATLAB® are registered trademarks and Parallel Computing Toolbox is a trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The online CompactRIO Developers Guide introduces best practices and programming examples that cover aspects of programming CompactRIO controllers with LabVIEW such as setting up out of the box, building a simple architecture, programming the field-programmable gate array (FPGA), adding a human machine interface (HMI), debugging, deploying, and replicating. Each section presents programming recommendations and explanations as well as example code to help you get started quickly.

To download a free PDF of the CompactRIO Developers Guide, visit ni.com/compactriodevguide.

Recommended LabVIEW Architectures for CompactRIO Developers

Parallel Computing Toolbox™

Embedded MATLAB™

The MATLAB®

Environment Real-Time Compiler, Linker, Debugger +

Real-Time Processor and Other Hardware

Legacy Implementation of Real-Time Math

The MathWorks, Inc. Toolchain

Develop.m File

Prepare for Dual Core

Generate ANSI C Code

Compile for Real-Time

Target

Debug Applications on

Real Time

Third-Party Embedded Tools

Figure 1. Deploying your .m files developed using the MATLAB language syntax to embedded hardware is a multistep procedure that requires additional tools and nontrivial verification processes.

25888 279 9833 n ni.com

At this point, you still have to compile and debug the code in a separate embedded toolchain. This path can be costly and can compromise the time and accuracy of the mathematical implementations.

Using LabVIEW to Deploy Your .m Files to Embedded Hardware The NI LabVIEW 2009 MathScript RT Module adds math-oriented, textual programming to LabVIEW software through a native compiler for your custom .m files. With this module, you can incorporate your custom .m files into the LabVIEW graphical development environment and deploy those same .m files to all NI real-time hardware platforms, even if you developed them outside of LabVIEW MathScript. The difference is how

the LabVIEW 2009 MathScript RT Module treats custom .m files for embedded hardware deployment. The LabVIEW MathScript compiler, which lives “under the hood” of the LabVIEW MathScript Node, compiles your .m file code into graphical code at edit time. This identifies syntax errors in the .m file code function calls. Furthermore, this edit-time compile applies and propagates strict data types throughout the underlying G code. Aside from the performance gains realized, this propagation provides a new script highlighting option called “Data Type Highlighting” so you can visualize in-node variables based on the colors of their LabVIEW data types. (For example, green represents Boolean and orange represents Double.) With the LabVIEW MathScript compiler, you can interact with your text-based code but still pass G code to the LabVIEW compiler. Therefore, the generated code benefits from the optimizations provided by the LabVIEW compiler. Figure 2 shows two examples of the optimizations that the LabVIEW compiler offers. Loop fusion eliminates unnecessary indexing operations while constant folding eliminates unnecessary code execution that always produces the same result. It is important to understand that the compiler does not change the code on your diagram; it only changes the compiled representation of that code. A primary benefit of the LabVIEW compiler is the ability to express parallelism naturally. You do not need “special” or “artificial”

markup in your code to force parallelism on the compiler, as is needed in text-based languages. In addition to the intuitive mapping of the language representation, the LabVIEW compiler provides several optimizations. The changes made to the LabVIEW MathScript compiler in the LabVIEW 2009 MathScript RT Module improve the performance of the generated code and allow the LabVIEW compiler to further optimize that code.

Deploying Your .m Files Is Easier Than EverThe traditional path for deploying your .m files to embedded hardware is complicated and requires code rewrites and multiple tools. LabVIEW 2009 streamlines this process by providing one integrated environment to

develop, debug, and deploy your custom .m files. Simply combine your .m file with LabVIEW graphical code using the MathScript Node, and drag and drop your application onto the real-time target within the LabVIEW project. The MathScript and LabVIEW compilers prepare the code to run on the embedded hardware, optimizing the code for real-time requirements. With LabVIEW 2009 and the LabVIEW 2009 MathScript RT Module, deploying your custom .m files to embedded hardware has never been simpler.

– Jeffrey Phillips jeffrey.phillips@ni.com

Jeffrey Phillips is a product manager for LabVIEW at National Instruments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

To learn more about simplifying the development and deployment of real-time math with LabVIEW, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9420.

Figure 2. Compare examples of LabVIEW compiler optimizations.

Loop Fusion Constant Folding

1111111

2222222

1111111

2222222

Figure 3. Deploying your .m files with LabVIEW is as simple as a drag-and-drop function.

26 Q4 2009

Instrument Drivers

Guarding Against Hardware ObsolescenceThe life cycle of a device under test (DUT) is often longer than the life cycle of the test equipment, so engineers face the challenge of replacing individual instruments of a test system. Other times, the DUT has an active service life measured in months, which means the test system needs to be continually modified for each new DUT. Replacing the hardware becomes especially challenging because it also requires changes to the test software, resulting in time-consuming development or costly revalidation. You can mitigate hardware obsolescence by using a well-designed hardware abstraction layer (HAL).

What Is a HAL?A HAL refers to a programming practice used in test systems to separate the test application software from the instrument hardware, which minimizes the time and costs associated with migrating or upgrading test systems. Most HALs fall into one of three groups:

An 1. industry-standard HAL is defined and maintained by an industry-standard body. While such a HAL is typically stable and has many companies invested in it, it may not be readily extensible if your requirements exceed existing standards.

A 2. vendor-defined HAL is provided and maintained by a single vendor. This type of HAL requires less development time; however, you become locked into its technical architecture, which limits your ability to migrate without pain (and defeats the purpose of implementing HALs in the first place). A 3. user-defined HAL is defined and maintained by the end users building the test systems. Implementing your own HAL gives you the opportunity to pick the right architecture, tools, and software standards, so you can mix and match between existing industry-defined HALs and your own HAL implementation.

Defining an API for User-Defined HALsWhen designing a user-defined HAL, you should decide whether an instrument-centric or application-specific API works best for your requirements. For an instrument-centric API, it helps to define an internal common instrument-centric API “standard” that you can use across multiple types of DUTs. Break functions into three categories: base, extended, and specific. The most common functions for each instrument type are included in the base functions. Functions that are shared across many –

but not all – instruments are grouped in the extended functions, which have a standard API if that function exists on the instrument. Finally, uncommon functions are grouped with the specific functions. If an application-specific API is better suited for the given requirements, you need to decide which division of application functions is the most efficient to develop and easiest to reuse.

Developing Your User-Defined HALsWhen developing your HAL, keep the following best practices in mind:

Separate test logic from common test functions hardware■n

Separate test system parameters from test logic■n

Design for dynamic or static interchangeability■n

HALs separate the test application from the instrument hardware and hardware-specific software to streamline the upgrade process. This streamlined upgrade process minimizes the time and costs associated with migrating test applications. Implementing HALs also result in higher code reuse and easier maintainability.

To read a white paper on HAL implementation, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9421.

PXIUSB/GPIBLAN/LXI

Instrument 3Instrument 2Instrument 1

VISA andDirect I/O

LabVIEWPlug and PlayIVI Driver

. . .Instrument 2

Specific SoftwarePlug-In

Instrument 1Specific Software

Plug-In

. . .Function 2Function 1

Function 1 Function 2 . . .

Instrument

Instrument Driver

Device-SpecificSoftware Plug-In

Application-Separation Layer

Test Application

HA

L

Mitigate hardware obsolescence in your test systems with a user-defined HAL architecture.

27888 279 9833 n ni.com

Web Connections

Do More with the NI Code ExchangeNational Instruments has very active and resourceful online users. In an effort to help these engineers and scientists be even more effective, NI created the NI Code Exchange, a one-stop portal where users can view, download, and share example programs, instrument drivers, and intellectual property (IP) for software including NI LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI, and Measurement Studio for Visual Studio. In addition, users can find example code for products ranging from data acquisition devices to VXI/VME. Aside from a product search, the portal gives users the option to sort through example programs and instrument drivers by using a wide range of search criteria, such as application area and industry type. This feature makes it possible for engineers to increase their efficiency and save time and energy when in the planning phase of projects. In this online hub, customers can find ready-to-use example code to help get projects up and running faster, as well as share their VIs with other engineers and scientists.

To get started, visit ni.com/code.

The mark LabWindows is used under a license from Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

1. Introduction to the LabVIEW Platform

2. Video: LabVIEW CD-Based Training Demo Modules (Basics I and II)

3. Introduction to PC-Based Data Acquisition – Featuring USB Devices

4. Demo: NI Multisim 10.1 Interactive Demonstration

5. Introduction to LabVIEW FPGA

To view these and other webcasts, visit ni.com/webcasts.

Top Five Webcasts1. NI Code Exchange (ni.com/code) – Download and share code,

drivers, and other software

2. LabVIEW Idea Exchange (ni.com/ideas) – Share, rank, and discuss new feature ideas

3. Online Groups (ni.com/groups) – Join more than 180 technical groups focusing on topics from large application development to robotics

4. Technical Blogs (ni.com/blogs) – Read the latest news and programming best practices from NI LabVIEW R&D

5. Career Network (ni.com/labviewcareers) – Find a new job and network with fellow developers

To get involved in the NI community, visit ni.com/community.

Top Five New Online LabVIEW Resources

The NI Code Exchange provides a space for visitors to access ready-to-use example code for a range of applications.

28 Q4 2009

Case Studies

NI Announces the 2009 Graphical System Design Achievement Award WinnersGreeN eNGINeerING and ApplIcAtIoN of the YeAr AwArds NI Tools Keep Ford at the Forefront of Innovation

Since 1992, Ford Motor Company has been dedicated to FCS R&D. In conjunction with our groundbreaking FCS design, we recently developed a new control system using rapid prototyping. Instead of modifying production ECU I/O circuits to adapt to interface changes, we used CompactRIO to rapidly prototype our fuel control unit. With CompactRIO, we quickly adapted to the design changes and experimented with new sensors and actuators for novel design solutions. We implemented a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system composed of an NI PXI-8186 controller in an NI PXI-1010 combination PXI/SCXI chassis with associated PXI and SCXI I/O cards, including a controller area network (CAN), to verify the control strategy functionality embedded in the CompactRIO

controller. This HIL system, implemented with LabVIEW Real-Time, has a graphical user interface that provides manual and automatic input stimuli to the ECU to validate the control strategy operation while displaying the CompactRIO I/O feedback on the HIL monitor. We successfully validated the HIL system and had only to make minor changes to the strategy after CompactRIO began controlling the actual FCS plant. To provide the determinism required for real-time performance, we used the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to deliver a commercial real-time OS (RTOS) for the selected controller. When we upgraded to an NI cRIO-9012 embedded real-time controller to boost performance, the LabVIEW Real-Time Module automatically switched from a Pharlap RTOS to a VxWorks RTOS. In addition, the NI Real-Time Execution Trace Toolkit quickly became important to solve chronometric issues. Using this toolkit, we found areas of the real-time embedded code that were not performing as expected and then optimized the code to ensure correct real-time performance. Ford has a long history with NI, and we have used LabVIEW to develop various aspects of every fuel cell electric vehicle that we produce and to successfully design and implement a real-time embedded control system for an automotive FCS.

– Kurt D. Osborne, Ford Motor Company

This year, 187 authors in more than 25 countries submitted their elite application papers to the second annual Graphical System Design Achievement Awards. Finalists and winners were chosen for 10 application categories and considered for the Green Engineering, Humanitarian, and Multicore awards. The category winners also had the opportunity to win the Application of the Year and Editor’s Choice awards.

To learn more about the 2009 winners and submit your application paper to the 2010 contest, visit ni.com/gsdawards.

Awards Honor Authors from Around the Globe

THE CHALLENGEDeveloping an electronic control unit (ECU) for an automotive fuel cell system (FCS) capable of demonstrating significant progress toward achieving a commercially viable design competitive with conventional internal combustion-based power trains.

THE SOLUTIONDesigning and implementing a real-time embedded control system for an FCS using the NI LabVIEW Real-Time and LabVIEW FPGA modules and an NI CompactRIO controller, and verifying the system with LabVIEW and a real-time PXI chassis HIL system.

29888 279 9833 n ni.com

edItor’s choIce AwArd Controlling a Dual-Robot System to Provide Upper Limb Therapeutic Exercise to Stroke Patients

MultIcore AwArd Developing a Real-Time MAV Flight Control System Test Bed Using LabVIEW and PXI

huMANItArIAN AwArd Using Graphical System Design to Help Premature Infants Learn to Orally Feed

‘‘The modular nature of the LabVIEW environment

has been ideal for prototyping and developing our system.�’’– Martin Levesley, university of leeds

‘‘Using LabVIEW and NI PXI hardware, we achieved

full dynamic flight control of two vehicles with a team of two developers.�’’– Christopher McMurrough, Automation and robotics

research Institute at the university of texas at Arlington

‘‘With LabVIEW and CompactRIO, we were able to reduce our development cost

by $250,000 [USD].� In addition, we were able to reduce our development time from four months

to four weeks and avoid the necessity of developing custom control software and drivers.�’’– Daryl Farr, Kc BioMedix Inc.

THE CHALLENGEDeveloping a safe rehabilitation system that can help people with arm impairments perform therapeutic exercises by coordinating and guiding the arm.

THE SOLUTIONUsing LabVIEW to implement a real-time control system for two custom robots that coordinate and assist arm movements by communicating with a user interface.

THE CHALLENGECreating a modular test bed for rapid flight control development of autonomous micro air vehicles using real-time motion capture technology.

THE SOLUTIONUsing the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to develop a PXI machine application for processing, executing the controller, and sending actuator commands.

THE CHALLENGEHelping premature infants learn how to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing for oral feeding.

THE SOLUTIONCreating a device that helps premature infants learn to orally feed so doctors and nurses can accurately assess the baby’s feeding ability.

30 Q4 2009

Product Network

Enhanced 3D Visualization Using the LabVIEW Interface for VSG AvizoVisualization Sciences Group (VSG) has developed an NI LabVIEW interface that allows for advanced visualization in a convenient software bridge and complements the existing capabilities within LabVIEW. 3D imaging structural health monitoring are application areas that show connectivity between the two software packages.

3D ImagingIn the first application, LabVIEW acquires mouse tendon data, as shown in the first slide of Figure 1. If the users know the desired filtering techniques, they can program the algorithms in LabVIEW to render a more detailed view of the mouse tendon, thereby understanding the tissue characteristics. However, an alternative – and more configuration-based – approach is to use the LabVIEW interface to pass data to VSG Avizo data analysis software and implement filtering techniques without additional programming. In the second slide of Figure 1, the data is filtered with a few noise removal algorithms and rendered with high-quality lighting and transparency in Avizo. Users can then perform further analysis to inspect the

tendon for anatomy segmentation, geometry reconstruction, and tissue measurement and statistics. Advancement in sensor and data acquisition capabilities have led to an explosion of experimental data. There are growing needs to visualize and process large amounts of measurement data, and the LabVIEW interface for Avizo is one approach to meet these challenges.

Structural Health MonitoringIn the second application, a simulated model at resonant frequency generates 3D structural data for a bridge, which is then validated and calibrated using accelerometers, strain gages, and displacement sensors. LabVIEW captures and preprocesses the experimental data using data acquisition devices and signal conditioning. Users can obtain corresponding CAD geometry and simulation with finite element analysis (FEA) software. They can apply Avizo to map the sensor data to the 3D model and implement advanced vector visualization.

To download a free evaluation or obtain more information on the LabVIEW interface for Avizo, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9422.

Figure 2. Advanced 3D structural data is applied to a bridge model.

Figure 1. Noise removal algorithms are rendered for tendon data, so a user can analyze tissue segmentation and geometry reconstruction.

VSG and National Instruments are looking for customers with advanced visualization needs to try out this new integration. Visualization application areas that may be applicable include structural health monitoring, medical imaging, tomography, oil and gas, and wind.Space in the lead user program is limited.

To request more information and find out if your application may benefit from this technology, e-mail partnerleaduser@ni.com.

Interested in Becoming a Lead User for This Technology?

31888 279 9833 n ni.com

Events

Attendees review LabVIEW and NI CompactDAQ highlights during a hands-on session at NIDays in the United Kingdom.

Do More at NIDays

Train in a Day at an NI Technical Symposium

Attend NIDays and join thousands of industry experts and NI employees worldwide to learn about the latest technologies and trends in design, test, and control. Find out about recent software upgrades – including NI LabVIEW 2009 – as well as emerging hardware platforms and industry applications. Learn how you can improve performance, and discover solutions based on NI products that can save you time and money without sacrificing flexibility and longevity. Each NIDays conference features a keynote presentation, technical sessions, and hands-on trainings. Events are scheduled in more than 20 countries, so you can attend an NIDays event near you. The event series began in October 2009 and continues through May 2010.

To view specific event dates and locations, visit ni.com/nidays.

Register for the 2009 National Instruments Technical Symposium, a series of free, full-day conferences exploring the latest trends in automation, design, and test. With an open agenda format featuring keynotes from NI experts, a variety of technical sessions, hands-on labs, and presentations, take the

opportunity to see new product demonstrations and network with colleagues and professionals. Learn how industry leaders are adapting NI products to meet their specific application needs. The conference offers information on emerging industry trends within a valuable networking forum and

product exhibition where you can meet with product and solution integrators. This year, explore the latest technologies for improving system performance and productivity, including field-programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware, multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices, embedded control applications, and the latest in programming strategies for optimizing automated test and measurement systems.

To view registration information, visit ni.com/techsym.

Attendees explore emerging industry trends in an hands-on lab at an NI Technical Symposium.

Technology Outlook

11500 N Mopac ExpwyAustin, TX 78759-3504

Address Service Requested

351201W-01 0185ni.com/products

Buy Online

Streamline Machine Design with Virtual Prototyping

The LabVIEW 2009 NI SoftMotion Module meets the challenge of a mechatronics-based design approach and provides seamless integration between NI LabVIEW software and the DS SolidWorks 3D CAD design tool.

Engineers can begin working on the control algorithm before a physical prototype exists and apply their custom motion profiles to a 3D CAD model within SolidWorks software. Others can simulate the dynamical behavior of their mechanical system by applying these real-world motion trajectories and use the data to analyze the dynamic behavior of their design. This information helps engineers streamline their machine design process by reducing the number of physical prototypes, so they can focus on design validation and optimization without stressing physical parts and implement a parallel design process for mechanical and control design.

To join the virtual prototyping community, visit ni.com/info and enter nsi9423.

Manufacturing

Test SystemDesign

PhysicalPrototype

VirtualPrototype

ControlDesign

EmbeddedDesign

ElectricalDesign

MechanicalDesign

SystemSpecification

With virtual prototyping tools, engineers can implement parallel design practices and reduce the number of physical prototypes.

Newsletter Information and Resources

To view past issues of ■n Instrumentation Newsletter; update your subscription preferences; or subscribe to the semimonthly NI e-mail newsletter, NI News, visit ni.com/newsletter.

For inquiries, requests for permission, or changes of address, e-mail the managing ■n

editor at newsletter@ni.com.