National Instruments accelerates its pace, adds logging and instrument studios, in preparation for 5G and automotive systems.
Expect more software, more often was the message during NI Week’s keynote on Tuesday.
National Instruments’ keynote presenters promised that they would keep up the pace of releases, vowing a three-month clip for software releases.  To prove it, NI launched updates to LabView and added new software for logging data and a GUI-based control panel that shows real-time what the system is doing.
NI said that systems are being built that are beyond human ability to manage and that it is listening to its customers in providing the new GUI-based tools and increased automation for testing.
NI’s upgrades to LabView, its premier engineering platform, in the form of LabView 2018, include:
- integration of more third-party IP from tools like Python
- automating the building and execution of software through integration with open interface tools like Jenkins for continuous delivery.
- using new deep-learning functions and improved floating-point operations to speed the testing process on FPGAs.
- creating packages that plug into install and distribution network
- creating a set of reusable software components to build other applications.Â
FlexLogger is data logging software intended to help validate new technologies. FlexLogger helps automotive test departments quickly capture accurate, well-documented data to verify system functionality in real-world conditions and comply with strict government regulations.
“FlexLogger automatically logs descriptive metadata about the test configuration including sensor and hardware acquisition settings for easier traceability. Test departments can improve access to data and effectively communicate results to the organization using DIAdem data management software to find, analyze and report on FlexLogger data,” says NI in its press release.
Instrument studio
In a revamped software environment, the instrument studio helps you build automated test systems and debug them. The instruments appear like an airplane pilot’s instrument panel. You can copy and paste, drag and drop instruments as needed.
SystemLink:
Expanding upon system management and leverage, NI adds ability to
- View historical trends
- Use test modules
- See test limits, parameters and values.
There is a focus on 5G for NI this year, with a 5G certification program and other tools. We will describe those in another article.
